Jealous of the Birds - Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom Teeth, the latest release from Irish singer/songwriter Naomi Hamilton’s Jealous of the Birds project, is yet another intriguing mix of sonically disparate elements from one of music’s most promising young musicians. Pairing Hamilton’s subdued vocals with quirky, adventurous arrangements, the E.P. finds Hamilton taking yet another huge leap forward as an artist.

The opening track “Marrow” is a vibrant waltz that leans heavily on gritty guitars and Hamilton’s unmistakable voice while the subdued “New York Has a Lump in Her Throat” shows off Hamilton’s formidable singer/songwriter chops.

While much of Wisdom Teeth is satisfyingly brooding, “Blue Eyes” is an uptempo, funk-laced workout that somehow manages to judiciously employ Seinfeld-esque bass breaks in between raucous chants of ‘yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah’. It’s the most ‘rockified’ moment on the E.P. and a thoroughly pleasant surprise.

The final two cuts, “Kosiskelu” and “Clementina”, further mine moody, understated territory and serve as a potent counter-balance to the first half’s ‘amped-up’ vibe. “Clementina”, in particular, highlights the unmistakable nuance of Hamilton’s voice in a way that much of her previous work has failed to capture.

While Hamilton is only a year removed from University graduation, Wisdom Teeth more often than not feels like the work of an inspired artist stretching her proverbial wings. The five songs gathered here nearly leap from the speakers. Hamilton sounds - gasp - like she’s actually having fun.

As with previous Jealous of the Birds releases, there’s a lot to like here. And while some songs might be more memorable than others, Wisdom Teeth is an incredibly realized, albeit abbreviated effort. In fact, the only knock against Wisdom Teeth might be in it’s all-too-brief running time, as Jealous of the Birds is clearly due for a full length.