Emiliana Torrini – Me and Armini
I found Emiliana while walking home from class a couple years ago. My solemn, cold walk home was interrupted when I noticed something shining on the sidewalk ahead. Are those cd’s, I asked myself. Sure enough they were. Pedro the Lion’s Achilles Heel, and Emiliana Torrini’s album The Fisherman’s Woman. For an indie music freak like me, finding two albums randomly on a sidewalk that I doubt many people in town even knew about was some kind of sign. Regardless of what finding them meant, I picked them up and continued home. I didn’t know Emiliana, so my obvious excitement was for the new Pedro album, which had just been released. What surprised me though, was how great Emiliana’s album was. And any Torrini fan can back me up on that. So, fast forward a couple years and my means of getting this new album don’t involve any crazy stories, but the wait was long enough that my excitement more than makes up for it.
The first thing you notice about Emiliana’s music is her voice. Laid back and relaxing, with a singing style that is uniquely hers. I can’t remember how many times I put Fisherman’s Woman on in the background to take naps to. I expected the same from Me and Armini, and while there are plenty of gentle tunes throughout, one big difference is how much more upbeat the songs are on this new one. Now, you have to take upbeat here with a grain of salt since it’s Emiliana, but let’s say I don’t remember bobbing my head much in the last release.
Songs like the title tracks, with it’s subtle raggae feel have you looking like a giddy fool bobbing your head in your car at stop lights. Maybe that’s just me, but I’ve had more than a few people pull the ‘ol “what’s that kid so happy about?” look over at me when we’re waiting at the light next to each other. “Heard it All Before” and “Big Jumps” are a few more upbeat numbers, and I can’t forget to mention the impossibly fun “Jungle Drum”, which literally made me laugh out loud the first time I heard the chorus of “My heart is beating like a jungle drum. Ba-rrruk-a-duk-a-duk-a-duk-a-dum-dum.”
The rest of the album is vintage Emiliana. There’s more instruments involved this time around, with most songs being more than just her and guitar, but I’ll always enjoy those simple, just Emiliana and a guitar songs. “Hold Heart” and “Beggar’s Prayer” are good songs to turn to if you want to hear her simpler side.
It’s kind of a shame I didn’t find this new album in some crazy way, but I guess getting it in the mail, when I didn’t even know she had finally recorded a new one, is still pretty good timing. I really haven’t had to do much convincing when it comes to Emiliana and my friends liking her music, and I imagine it’ll be no different for this new album. If you plan on walking to class, taking a leisurely drive, cleaning your house, or pretty much anything else of the relaxing nature, I suggest you have Me and Armini playing on loop.
Emilian Torrini
Me and Armini
Perch Score: 8.729
01. Fireheads
02. Me and Armini
03. Birds
04. Heard It All Before
05. Ha Ha
06. Big Jumps
07. Jungle Drums
08. Hold Heart
09. Gun
10. Beggars Prayer
11. Dead Duck
12. Bleeder
Official Site / Myspace /
Find the mp3’s over at the Hype Machine
My Heart is beating like a Jungle Drums.. OMG! I’m ADDICTED!