Eva Petersen - Emerald Green Eyes

Ex-Little Flames member Eva Petersen has been hailed by Echo & the Bunnymen great Will Sergeant as "the greatest singer to come out of Liverpool in the 21st century". Judging by Emerald Green Eyes, it's hard to disagree with what would have seemed an outlandish statement. With a voice full of soul, brimming with maturity and serious resonance, there's so much to love about Petersen as an artist.

What's striking is that on second track 'Too Late for Tears', there's a real strength to Petersen's tone. She isn't desperately clutching onto our heartstrings or being sentimental; the song's sung from a strong and bold point of view which is refreshing. It also helps that the track is a genuinely catchy pop song which effortlessly captivates. A song like 'Little White Lies', meanwhile, feels like it's touching on 60s influences and an older pop vibe but brought right into a modern light.

Yet again, Petersen refrains from becoming overly sentimental or drippy and the song is simply a solid pop number which is a relief. The title track could have been written by Nick Cave. It has that eerie quality Cave often possesses while retaining an emotive ambience and, when the electronics and main solo kick in after about two minutes, the song breezes along, feeling like a film soundtrack.

The great thing about Emerald Green Eyes is how timeless the songs feel. There's a mixture of indie guitar, nostalgic pop, and effortless vocals which all marry together to make a cohesive and engrossing record. The only gripe to be had is at times it feels slightly overproduced. It would have been great to have a stripped-down, acoustic track. 'Sunday Love Affair' could have been that but even that's been sprinkled with electronics and ambient sounds which just dampen the impact of the song somewhat.

Then again, it would be predictable if Eva Petersen did include a stripped-down acoustic number and it's great to hear an artist simply doing what they want to do, instead of ticking all the mainstream boxes in one record. That said, Petersen's voice is so exquisite and enchanting that a song which spotlight this would be a great inclusion on a future release.