Patch of Land

iTunes Review

The landscape that Emily Arin inhabits on Patch of Land is moody and overcast, with just enough bursts of lyrical sunlight to ward off the blues. Arin's voice is sweetly waif-like, suggesting idealism bruised by experience. Elegantly etched tunes like “When You Knew Me When” and “Lyle’s Light” are poignant explorations of memory and longing, subdued yet passionate. The embroidered language of love songs like “Say” and “Hidden Flame” gives them a distinctly mystical tinge. Beyond personal confession, Arin enjoys rendering compact, evocative stories (“By the Fiery Glow”) and taking a swipe at the materialism of the modern age (“On a Rainy Night In Memphis”). The title track is an ode to country life that invokes the back-to-the-land spirit of the early ‘70s. Producers Brian McTear and Greg Weeks embellish the songs with evocative touches (including cello and mellotron) without compromising their essential simplicity. Though Patch of Land often feels melancholy, Arin fills t with enough eloquence and heart to make it seem downright inspirational.