‘Built to create’ - Emma Blackery unplugs her Villains
I've seen many anniversary celebrations over the years. Twenty-five years of this album, fifty of another, even a forty-five year anniversary. I've never seen a two year anniversary celebration of an album though, and one that has been made as thoughtfully as this.
'Villains' is the name of Emma Blackery's debut album, which was released at the end of August in 2018. Now, two years later, Blackery has released an entirely new recording of that album made during lockdown, in an acoustic format. Previously I wrote about Emma Blackery's career leading up to the release of her 'My Arms Are Open' EP, and this release is the perfect complement to those songs.
The music on Villains is expertly produced, radio friendly and sets different moods across the album. From the more fun songs of 'Dirt' and 'Agenda', to the bouncy 'Fake Friends' and 'Take Me Out', the softer 'Icarus' and 'What I Felt With You', to the epic 'Villains' bookends - there's something for every pop fan here. A concept record, the idea stems directly from a list Blackery created as she categorised people she knew as friends or villains, and the personal growth she gained from moving past the more poisonous people in her life.
So how does this translate to a more stripped down version? Emma Blackery is no stranger to releasing acoustic versions of her tracks, having done just that in 2014 with her 'Perfect' single and 'Cute Without You' in 2019. This anniversary version of Villains is made in collaboration with her partner Davey Bennett, and entirely recorded at home. Gone are the layers of synths and drum patterns, and the already sparse electric guitar is absent from this version too. Apart from a handful of vocal overdubs, the album is largely a sole acoustic guitar with a lone lead vocal from Emma. You get the feeling you're in a dimly lit theatre watching the pair present this album with minimal lighting and no backdrop.
'Villains Pt. 1' is less epic of course, but the beauty of these arrangements is that the lyrics have nowhere to hide, and forces you to really pay attention to them. In the absence of drums, the acoustic guitar is used to bring a more percussive element to these tracks, with 'Dirt' being a great example. An acoustic version of Dirt was made during the original album cycle in 2018, but this is a third arrangement. A comparison between the three features great moments from each, with this one being the most raw - check that comment at the end.
'Agenda' has the acoustic guitar keeping the rhythm, lightly chugging through the track. There's also a lovely melodic guitar part in the pre-chorus, and even a replacement for the cash register sound effect. While the chorus vocals have kept the intensity of the original, the shouting of 'A-G-E-N-D-AH-AH-AH' is abandoned in favour of something less vocally straining.
There is some welcome acoustic strumming in 'Fake Friends', filling out the space left by the absent instrumentation. It's great to hear the bare bones of Emma's vocal without all the layering of the original. Vocally, Emma continues to improve and hold more control over her instrument, and a project like this is proof of that.
I love the airiness brought by the opening strumming in this version of 'Icarus'. I immediately liked this song when I heard it in 2018, and the acoustic version only improves my feeling towards it. Gentle vocal harmonies are the touch that elevates this from feeling like a live session to a fully fledged studio track. The acoustic guitar does brilliantly at imitating the electronic sound in 'Take Me Out', while the vocal sticks with the original arrangement, keeping the backing vocals in the chorus.
'Petty', to me, was always the one that was set up best to be given an acoustic rendition. At the time it reminded me of Ed Sheeran's sound, particularly his co-write on 'Love Yourself' by Justin Bieber. This version of Petty takes the best parts of the original while replacing the heavy electronic breaks with acoustic strumming, and it works.
My top track on this album has always been 'Third Eye', a firm fan-favourite. Indeed, when I saw Emma Blackery in London on the HMV promotional tour for this album, Emma's performance blew the roof off even though the music was on a backing track. Needless to say, it's difficult to keep that level of hype with a vocal and acoustic guitar, but that's why looking at these songs in a different light is a good idea, it almost becomes a different song in this arrangement. As with other tracks on this new edition, the percussive side is created by the guitar, which somehow also manages to re-create the melody of the electronic backing too. Emma Blackery's vocal is as fitting as ever, with a light harmony beefing up those chorus lines. Emma uses her vocal to replace the samples in the original during the breaks in a way I haven't heard Emma sing before.
Part of the beauty of 'What I Felt With You' comes in the vocal layers, creating a truly soothing, but melancholic sound. In the original the vocals are softer, but two years later they are more assertive, almost like the product of a healed heart. This is an underrated track on Villains, and this acoustic version is totally its equal.
'Burn the Witch' has somewhat of an unfulfilled prophecy, as Blackery has since said this should've been a single with an accompanying music video. As it is, it's an album track with attitude. The attitude translates surprisingly well into this version, retaining the gang of Blackery backing vocals. On the flipside, 'Villains Pt. 2', the album's closer, was always going to be difficult to rearrange here. Whilst the original is the sound of Emma Blackery smashing up her bedroom, this is the sound of Emma in the foetal position in the aftermath of the chaos. Her voice here is almost angelic, which makes this album finale more sad and heartfelt than the destructive force of the original.
1. It's been two years since your debut album 'Villains' was released, what made you want to commemorate that with an acoustic version of the album?
My fans have always gravitated towards my acoustic music, and I'm still told every day how much Villains has helped people through hard friendship and relationship troubles. With everything going on this year, I wanted to release more material for people to enjoy whilst I work on other musical projects that aren't ready yet.
2. The artwork for this release utilises an unused Villains photoshoot, were you at all tempted to shoot a new cover?
No, not at all. It was important to me to use a photo from the same era.
3. You also released a self-shot artwork idea for 'Magnetised' recently, are there other unused cover shoots for previous releases?
There are always unused cover ideas, but not always from different shoots. There aren't any other shoots but hundreds of takes of the finished covers.
4. This album was all recorded at home. Would you say it was co-produced with Davey Bennett, or solely produced by yourself?
It was co-produced by us both.
5. Is all the guitar played by Davey Bennett, or is there a little bit of your playing in there too?
I play on Icarus and Davey plays the rest.
6. An acoustic version of 'Dirt' was released in 2018, were you conscious of that arrangement already existing or was it easy to just start over in this new version?
It was easy to start over. I'm not a big fan of the original acoustic version looking back on it production-wise in 2020 and wanted to replace it with one I preferred.
7. Of course two years is a while since Villains was available to the public, but the songs are much older. With this version, were you tempted to change any lyrics to reflect Emma Blackery in 2020?
No, not at all. They wouldn't be the same songs then.
8. With your release of the 'My Arms Are Open' EP this year, was it strange going back to an older release?
No. I don't see a problem with revisiting eras if you're paying tribute to them. I don't think I'd make any music videos for the songs on the album now, but Villains is still a big part of my life.
9. For now this release is digital-only, is the possibility of a physical release based on how well received the album is?
Never say never.
Emma Blackery can be found across social media @emmablackery, the Villains Acoustic Anniversary release is available on all digital platforms now.
