Yahoo! Music Album Review

Released on 31/10/05
Label: Virgin

It's no exaggeration to say that, in the UK at least, there's been a seismic shift in the musical landscape since Gemma Hayes released her sublime, Mercury-nominated debut album, "Night On My Side" in 2002. Back then, the Tipperary born singer-songwriter was a relatively lonely voice: a country tinged soul in a distinctly urban climate - indeed she lost out on the Mercury to the then unstoppable Ms Dynamite. Now, at the tail end of 2005, with James Blunt credited with the biggest-selling British album of the year and the likes of KT Tunstall not far behind, tenderly picking over the emotional wreckage of life with an acoustic guitar is an altogether more fashionable pursuit.

Even so, Hayes may yet struggle to be heard. While there's no doubting the ability of her second album to elicit both shivers down the spine and warm glows in the pit of the stomach, it's a record of quiet, understated beauty, which touches the heart tenderly, whispering its sentiments rather than shouting them for three radio-friendly minutes. Which isn't to say that it's inaccessible or awkward. Far from it. Like her sweet southern states drawl, "The Roads Don't Love You" is nothing if not blissfully easy listening. The intimate, late night soul-baring, the staple of her debut, is as enchanting as ever; "Easy On The Eye" sleepily caresses and the twilight piano of "Helen" is loaded with love and sadness.

Meanwhile, recording in LA has added a whole new perspective to the rockier side of her small town frustration. From the dirt-track shuffle of "Two Step", through "Undercover"'s hazy, back porch sing-along to the up-beat break-up of "Keep Me Here", there's the unmistakable glint of streaming sunshine, and all the hope that comes with it, as she riffles through her emotional baggage.

Best summed up by the infectious refrain of "Happy Sad": "I'm happy sad, and it comes easy to me, I'm never one or the other", "The Roads Don't Love You" is a delicate balance between fragile desperation and the relief of realising that rock bottom's been hit and things can only get better. It's the dimly-lit affection of her debut, offset by the blinding light of moving forward, and as such it's the perfect second album, taking everything that was good about its predecessor and making it better. It just does it very softly.

A record which needs to be found, and given proper time and attention. When it opens up it's impossible not to fall in love with.

    by Dan Gennoe