It is safe to say that I approached this single with a little trepidation, as while Jo Beth is undoubtedly one of my favourite singers there was too much of an electronica direction in her last release for me. She told me not to worry as there would be a huge variety of sounds and styles on the album itself and she was sure I would find things there more to my liking, but I did wonder how I would react to this single. I am glad to say that although there are again beats on “Adversity”, here they make far more musical sense to me, taking the music in a different direction while her vocals shine. The beats are not all the way through either, and when she sings the chorus in a very high voice with a picked harp behind it is sheer beauty.

This is an incredibly complicated song in terms of arrangements, with different instruments coming in and out, and again is a long way from her more improvised works I have become used to, but here it works as both a support and contrast to her wonderful Kate Bush-style vocals. This is one of those songs where the more I play it the more I enjoy it and the more there is to discover. Jo Beth is one of the most incredible singers around, and she continues to move and discover new areas to work in, and for me this is a fine example of old and new coming together incredibly well. If that were not enough, then it again features Peter Yates (Fields of the Nephilim) and all proceeds go to Home For Rescued Animals in Lviv as the track is very much an invocation for peace and an end to adversity.

Rating: 9/10

Links:
https://www.jobethyoung.com/