_{Text: Hanna de Vries}

Dreamy sounds introduce “A Different Kind Of Light”, the, always somewhat difficult, sophomore album from the young singer Jade Bird. Bird went into the studio with Dave Cobb (Lady Gaga, John Prine) a short two years after the release of her self-titled debut album. The result: A beautiful country album that’s for sale at your favourite record store on the 13th of August.

After the opening track “DKOL” we can listen to “Open Up The Heavens”. A perfect introduction in which we hear the best of Jade Bird: layered vocals and harmonies and music which is able to tell you a story and take you on a journey. Bird is British, but you wouldn’t know it when you listen to her songs. The combination of her acoustic guitar and the freedom in her lyrics create the image of a wild untamed Americana. It comes to no surprise that Bird opted to record this album in country-music Valhalla Nashville. But, for country music you need life experience. Bird is only 23 years old, so she hasn’t been able to live  a long life full of experiences yet. This makes the album a little bit too well behaved sometimes. We miss some of the real personal themes.

Songs like “Honeymoon” and the title track “Different Kind Of Light” make Bird’s influences very clear. She grew up with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and Joni Mitchell. Alanis Morissette’s album “Jagged Little Pill” can be counted as one of Bird’s all time favourites. If we disregard the bonus track “Headstart”, the album ends with the beautiful Bob Dylan-like “Prototype”. A song in which Bird proves she can put this old genre in a new spotlight.