Emma Cook
Living Proof
(Indoor Recess)
3.5/5
Emma Cook wrote her fourth album, Living Proof, as she overcame a head injury and post-concussion syndrome. By drawing on this, Cook creates a melancholic and haunting 10-track experience.
The Toronto-based singer’s voice flips from powerful lower notes to a willowy, higher range, reminiscent of the Celtic sounds of The Corrs. There is nostalgia to her sound that reminds me of the late-’90s output of artists such as Dido and Sarah McLachlan.
The album moves at a smooth, folksy pace, providing a relaxed, easy listen. The songs blend together seamlessly in a lazy river of sound; however, after a few tracks, this cohesiveness borders on repetitive. “Your Last Ride” and “Please Come Home” provide a much appreciated shot of grit and earnestness into the album’s otherwise mellow tempo.
The final track, “No Choice at All,” ends the album on a stripped-down, lingering last note, shining a light on Cook’s ability to deliver a heartbreaking indie ballad.