New York born, London based singer songwriter Esme White has been gathering plaudits for some five years now, establishing herself as one of the most versatile and vibrant performers of the post lockdown period, at the same time as attracting the attention of media and industry observers alike.
It was while living in an Irish pub in London that she picked up what she calls :”a nasty songwriting habit.” Her captivating story-telling style fascinates all who hear it, a vivacious amalgam of poetry, myth, and everyday life, set to a soundtrack that merges country, folk and punk, before forming its own, wholly unique style - the perfect match for songs whose subject matter includes ugly angels, death, dust, violence, and the apocalypse. Mot to mention Hades, bloody noses and getting locked out of Heaven - the subject, back in 2022, of her debut single “Pearly Gate Crashers.”
The EP Dead End Daydreams followed two years later. Now, Esme’s Cleopatra Records debut Barfly Symphony introduces five performances that - individually and collectively - mark her out as a talent to be reckoned with.
Produced by Gus White at his barn in Wiltshire, the bulk of the EP comprises White originals, opening with the brutally percussive “Halo Of Trash,” described by Esme as “a love song, but [it] describes a love riddled with toxicity and abuse, born out of a desperation to find holiness in people, places, and things, which are harmful. The story is intricate and backed by a thumping drum beat and ghostly honky tonk piano by Samuel Austin.”
“Dancing,” meanwhile, "is an ominous anthem of alcoholism and creeping through the race-race with grace.” “Smiling” draws on the sweeping, almost operatic romanticism of Roy Orbison. It was inspired also by the songwriting of Greek-Romani performer Kostas Hatzis, who sung of flying up high to watch the world from outer space. And “Burnt Out Star” “pares everything back to voice and guitar, with harmonies from Ann Liu Cannon, leaving the songwriting exposed.”
“I wasn’t particularly musical,” Esme says of her upbringing, “but my parents are both creative and I was always pushed to follow my creative instincts…” drawing at first but, increasingly, story telling.
“I did a bit of singing in high school; I was in a punk band, but when I came to London, one of the first things I did was buy a really old junky guitar and I started retelling myself the old melodies I knew. Just playing around until lockdown, because that gave a lot of people a time to reset and focus on passions they weren’t even thinking about beforehand.”
For Esme, that was songwriting and, soon after, performing - open-mics to begin with, “but I was lucky enough to get really good encouragement.”
Her reputation has been steadily rising ever since. Barfly Symphony, however, finds her hitting a whole new peak, with the closing track, “What Have They Done To My Song, Ma,” illustrating both a key element of her musical past and a brilliant glimpse into her creative vision.
That said, it’s hard to say who was the most surprised when she was invited to record a duet with the late American folk icon Melanie on the song - Esme, for being asked to sing something that was once a regular in her own live show, or Melanie’s management, when she mentioned her history with the song. Either way, there was no hesitation.
Esme says, “A wise woman once showed me Melanie’s music when I started gigging in London, and I held her as an inspiration as a writer and a performer. Her voice was unpredictable and raw and beautiful, and perfect for someone like me (and perhaps you) who does not seek rigid perfection in musical expression.”
Recorded with Kris Hille-Krumsvick (bass and saw) and Alex Fry (electric guitar and mandolin), and produced by Jack Trouble and James Rampton at Spiritual Studios in Camden ‘What Have They Done To My Song, Ma’ is released today as a single. Esme continues, “It is an honor to be joining her to duet on ‘What Have They Done to My Song, Ma’ and I hope, if she can hear it playing through the veil, she thinks kindly of what we done to her song.”
SINGLE: https://orcd.co/esmewhite_melanie
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/FtyrQo1OtuU
Issued in striking coke-bottle green 12-inch vinyl, Barfly Symphony streets on December 18 in a strictly limited edition of 85 pressings.
