Photo: Steve Stanton
Back in April of this year, I got the chance to do a profile piece on Denver artist Rachel James for Examiner.com. During that interview, James talked about the difficult year she’d had, and how it was deepening her as a songwriter.
Then, a few weeks ago, she sent me a copy of her new EP Not Giving Up, slated for digital release this week. Listening to this stuff compared to her earlier work, I was honestly blown away. This is nothing short of a quantum leap forward. It’s a short-but-sweet, three-song EP with compelling lyrics and some of the most solid hooks I’ve heard come out of Denver in quite awhile. I seriously can’t listen to the song below (the title cut of the EP) without waking up with it stuck in my head the following morning. This stuff isn’t just good; it’s chart-worthy.
If you happen to be in the Denver area this Friday, Nov. 4, you should come to the Hard Rock Cafe on the Sixteenth Street Mall downtown around 9PM, where Rachel James and her band will be officially releasing the EP at a show benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation in the fight against breast cancer–a worthy cause, and one that the EP’s theme suits quite well.
Says James, “This EP is very much about the fight–the fight against the evils in our lives, with ourselves, with God. It is about not giving up. Life is good, and it’s worth the fight to find truth, love and beauty.”
Gauging from the new music, it appears Rachel James’s own fight has paid off.
You’re right about Rachel’s song “Not Giving Up” having a great hook! She’s a great singer and obviously a great songwriter too! Thanks for sharing your picks, and I’ll be keeping my eye on this one!