A Review by Ian Shearer

I remember it fondly.  Hunched over my pint on a quiet Sunday afternoon, my brain was idling in low gear and it took me some time to realise exactly what was happening.  The opening chords were incredibly familiar, but I could not place the tune.  Even after the first line, 'I wanna hold them like they do in Texas babe...' I did not immediately catch on, instead thinking that perhaps it was a new funky version of an old country song I hadn't heard in some time.  It wasn't, in fact, until I heard the chorus that it clicked.  For some reason, on that lazy Sunday afternoon, I was listening to Poker Face, by Lady Gaga.  Country song indeed.  In my defence though, it wasn't actually Poker Face by Lady Gaga.  It was a cover, played on acoustic guitar, by a rather lovely duo who go by the name Acoustic Soul.  The singer was Eilis Phillips, and though it would be a conveniently cute story to tell you this was my first introduction to her, that would be taking my artistic license too far.  I mention it only to set a tone of unconventionality.  Because nestled among a set list of rock and pop classics, an acoustic - almost jazz style - interpretation of a totally uncool piece of electro-pop crap is unconventional, to say the least.  What makes it interesting though, is that it was really quite good.

I have been hip to Eilis's talent for some time now, and championed her debut album Oh Captain when it was released at the end of 2010.  Eilis is not one to rest on her laurels, though, and on top of her gigging schedule - including the aforementioned Acoustic Soul session she does with the awesomely talented Jackie Rainey -  as well as dabbling in astrophysics and training to be a pilot, she has put together a new EP called Motive and Opportunity.

On her album Oh Captain Eilis struck a fairly even balance between high concept, cosmically-inclined songs, and more low-key personal tracks with a pop influence.  Motive and Opportunity is is a generous offering for an EP, with six songs rather than the moreconventional (there's that word) four, and actually has the feel of a fully fledged album.  With the exception of Yossarian - an ode to the main character in Joseph Heller's Catch 22 - the songs here appear to have a running theme of introspection and heartbreak.  This, however, has as much to do with Eilis's voice as it does with the actual lyrical content, which is subtle and mature, rather than overtly emotional.

The emotional impact comes by way of the vocals, of which Eilis has a truly impressive range.  Her delicate delivery is enhanced by the underlying strength of her voice, which becomes apparent in the choruses of songs such as Tears In Rain.  For such a vocally-driven style though, the musicianship on display is incredibly accomplished, made all the more impressive by the fact that Eilis doesn't much care for backing bands, preferring to play most of the music herself.  For all her ability, though, the music is fairly subdued in the production, always playing a supporting role to the vocals.   It is a measured decision, which compliments the style of the EP and displays a lack of pretence which is refreshing.  Eilis is a bassist by trade though, so I suppose that makes sense.

Ultimately my favourite songs, Run For Cover and Emotional Crutch are similar to my favourites from her previous album.  They demonstrate Eilis's talent for creating emotional engagement without over-writing.  They are simple and beautifully composed, but, most importantly, delivered with the unique style one would expect of a much more seasoned artist.  It seems that Eilis Phillips did not take long to find her voice, which is lucky for us, because it is a truly wonderful voice indeed.

Find out more about Eilis and listen to her music on her excellent website www.eilisphillips.com