As with the vast majority of releases in this series, the artist is unknown to me, but I know I will be keeping an eye out for the name Jade Brodie in future as this is a delight from beginning to end. Her style is country, with some smattering of bluegrass and alt folk, with powerful lyrics (often quite depressing it must be said), and a vocal style which immediately captures the imagination and brings the listener into her world. One of the things I really like about this album is something I have not heard on any of the others, in that Jade sometimes gently clears her throat before starting to sing, which makes her feel even more human and that the experience is just between her and the listener. This never comes across as a live album but rather something far more emotional and intimate.

She accompanies herself with an acoustic guitar, and apart from that she is there on her own apart from the ever-present cicadas which are such an import supporting feature of these releases. Anti-Corporate Music/Black Matter Mastering engineer Dan Emery had a real brainwave when he thought of recording artists in this stripped down manner by the large magnolia tree at the Anti-Corporate Music/Black Matter Mastering headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. There is no messing with the recording, on the night they decide if that take is the one they want to use, and auto tune is an absolute anathema. I can imagine sitting there on the ground, drinking a cold one, while Jade is there singing just for me. Apart from the Metal Massacre series which came out so many years ago, I struggle to think of any other series where the recordings, performances, and choices of artists has been so spot on, and all credit to Emery for all he does.

Currently this is my favourite release from Anti-Corp, but I am sure I have said that about other albums and will say so again in the future as they are all absolutely essential.

Rating: 9/10

Links:
https://jadebrodie.com
https://anticorporatemusic.com