On first glance, The Law of Large Numbers, Emma Pollocks 2ndsolo album is a bit boring. It has all the right elements of mediocrity or blandness, subtle rock rifts, little ditties with g loks and violins. Her voice has a sweet charm that can be easily dismissed as girl rock fodder.
Yet, beneath the surface, Emma Pollock has created an album with subtle charm. ‘I Could be a Saint’ and ‘The Loop’ exemplifies how she builds melody with her noodling voice. From this she adds in guitars, bells, strings, and any suitable instrument to accentuate her clear voice. ‘Hug the Harbour’ is lyrically weak but keeps you interested with her syncopated rhythm and rock build. ‘Nine Lives’ is the strongest song on the album. It builds an engaging story with lyrics like: “you dream ad you think it’s real/ you hop when the pain comes you really can’t feel”. The musical accompaniment is theatrical, with quiet reflection and roaring horns come in at climatic moments.
‘Red Green Orange’ takes a completely different direction. it’s simple beat that replicates a ticking clock drives everything: voice, g loks, and guitars. The song turns something basic and makes a wonderful track that you’ll put on repeat without even knowing it.
The Law of Large Numbers is just that, seemingly simple elements superbly blended together to be quirky instead of mundane. Give it chance and you too will find a solid album.
