I know that we live in a post-genre world, a place where the old tribal demarcations have been relegated to history and where artists are free to find influence and inspiration wherever they choose. But From Both Eyes is the sound of an artist who does that whilst sounding wonderfully familiar too, classic even. And to be honest, it would do so in any age or era.
From song to song, Nan Macmillan gently drifts across generic divides, though the results never sound like anything other than herself —a signature style found in the established sonic dressing-up box, at once singular yet comfortable, new but also shimmering with sounds and styles that we have been listening to all our lives, only often with new poise and a contemporary makeover.
If “Seams” feels like a cinematic and ambient take on Joni Mitchell, then “America, Anywhere” is a soulful, trip-hop-grooved take on accessible indie-pop. And if “Don’t Have The Right” echoes perhaps solo Tom Petty, only taken to more delicate and dulcet extremes, “Change of Heart” is an ethereal folk-pop ballad, the perfect blend of tradition and forward thinking.
And for all this, albeit gentle, testing of the boundaries, this ability to subtly hop sonic demarcations, From Both Eyes is a cohesive and collected set of songs, it’s just that you won’t always find such albums in the genre section of the record shop that you might have been expecting. It comfortably fits in no one place and also readily sits in every place.
The music press, not me, others, is always looking for the next big folk thing, the pop star of the future, the indie saviour, the roots revivalist/revolutionary, the new cause celebre to appease the discerning music fan, well, who knew that those second comings could all be the same person!
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