Last summer, I was absolutely enchanted by the video for indie folk artist Jo Beth Young’s Wolf Song. It’s a track that instantly got into my favourites and has stayed firmly there ever since.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by Douglas Young
Now, the album on which Wolf Song features has been released. Broken Spells is Jo Beth Young’s third LP and it’s everything I hoped it would be. There’s something captivatingly unique about her sound that is difficult to describe, but undeniable as soon as you hear it. Her lyrics delve deep, making use of poetic imagery to cut right to the heart of sensitive topics such as overcoming narcissistic abuse, wars based on lies, and spiritual warfare.
The depth is tempered by Jo Beth’s brand of ethereal folktronica. Across ten tracks we are treated to an immersive mix of traditional folk and modern electronica. Alongside Jo Beth, we get contributions from Peter Yates on guitars, Ben Roberts on Cello, Jules Bangs on bass, John Reed on steel guitar and Jay Newton on piano. As well as singing, Jo Beth plays a multitude of the instruments too.
Jo Beth, who has previously released music as Talitha Rise and RISE, recorded the whole project herself at her home in the West of Ireland. Due to financial constraints, she even did some of the mixing, with the first few tracks done by Kev Bolus and Matt Blackie helping to create late-album gem Adversity.
The aforementioned Wolf Song is, of course, a highlight, introducing the album with its memorable melody and emotional lyrics, but Broken Spells is an album full of highlights. Single Standstill simmers with an uneasy melancholy. Brigid pairs airy strings and vocals with heavy bass before bursting forth into an electronic wonderland. Lazuli is a minimal, mournful tale of a soldier tricked into going to war. Kinder Sea is an edgy, expansive and experimental journey into the disconcertingly familiar.
You can order a CD copy of Broken Spells here, and can stream the album below. You can find out more about Jo Beth Young on her website, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
