Jackie Bristow – Outsider
(Independent)
Reviewed by Rob Harbers.
There exists, out beyond the ken of many of us, a sizeable camp of “NZ artists not many New Zealanders know exist”. Among former residents of that enclave are numbered Crowded House and Flight of the Conchords, both acts only breaking through into mainstream local consciousness after becoming “Big In America” (to borrow the words of The Stranglers), after which they were clutched tightly to the nation’s bosom as if they’d never left! One who is deeply deserving of a similar breakthrough is product of Gore, more recently calling Nashville (yes, THE Nashville!) home, Jackie Bristow.
She’s quietly beavered away on a career which has produced four albums so far, with a fifth ‘Outsider’ now seeing the light of day, having suffered some delay (thanks Covid!). It was started when she was in Nashville, before the pandemic cloud on the horizon drove her back to more Southern climes, and finished remotely, with the help of a supporting cast including players who might otherwise have been unavailable (thanks Covid!!). What has emerged from these circumstances is a soulful collection that exudes pure class, in the milieu of Bonnie Raitt, Shelby Lynne, and a touch of Alison Krauss.
The opening salvo, ‘Livin’ For Love’ kicks right into the big questions, asking ”Do you ever question the emptiness inside, Was it worth the sacrifice that you made to build this life?” Heady stuff indeed, setting the reflective tone that threads through this set.
A nice sonic surprise is provided in ‘Without You’ with its string section breakout punctuating the pedal-steel that is such an emblematic component of the Nashville sound, while the title track tells of being “Always on the outside, looking inside” before concluding that “You only need a few true friends” – a far more worthy goal than seeking to be one of the in crowd! Mining perhaps a different seam of the same deep vein that informs some of the lyrics of French For Rabbits.
‘Tennessee’ tells of missing (adopted) home comforts, with a soulful brass accompaniment providing extra punch. Perhaps the most deeply personal reflection, while simultaneously expressing concepts of wide applicability, comes in the form of ‘Surrender’ – “trying to find the spark I need” while recognising that “I can’t control everything”, the stripped-back arrangement allowing the emotive delivery to shine through.
Through it all is the sweet voice, which while being a strong instrument also has an affecting vulnerability to it, giving a rich emotional depth to these expressions. A truly accomplished collection, which with a twist in the algorithms would see this performer take a rightful place among the widely-known!
If you enjoyed this content, please consider donating towards the running of Ambient Light, covering expenses and allowing us to expand the coverage you love by visiting our PressPatron page.