Emanuela Hutter “A Girl Like You”

For fans of quality, modern rockabilly, the name Emanuela Hutter should be familiar. She’s the singer for the wonderful Hillbilly Moon Explosion. This is her first solo album and perhaps offers a chance for her to step out of the confines of being in a band and explore other musical avenues.

This album certainly makes full use of her beautiful and seductive voice, as shown by opener “Little Pray”. It’s a track which, somewhat strangely, has us thinking about the song sung by the snake in the Jungle Book! Certainly, tracks like that and “Cold World” will hypnotise you and have you falling for Emanuela’s charms.  The album certainly offers up a lot of drama. “Should Have Been A Love Song” is a beautifully haunting track. Then “Why Are You Following Me” is like some kind of modern tango, dark and seductive.

It’s not all slow paced though. The title track “A Girl Like You” is a perfect little ‘pop’ ditty that is equal parts sixties and Parisian sounding. Equally, “What I See Has Changed” has a girl group charm with a much lighter and summery feel to it.

“Day By Day” is probably the song which is closest to the sound of the Hillbilly Moon Explosion, as it has an almost country twang and the horns give the song a real lift. Then “Close Your Mouth” adds a sense of malice and anger before we return to the classic, almost Flamenco style of “Chagrin”.

This is certainly a side step from the day job. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise for Hillbilly Moon Explosion fans. They’re a band who have always been willing to push the boundaries of the genre they tend to be placed in. This is an album for a different time and mood than that band. The Hillbilly Moon Explosion provides plenty of songs for raucous partying. Whilst this has an underground Paris bar feel to it – all low lighting, small tables and red wine…which sounds pretty fine to us!