It would appear that Georgia Lines has waited too long to not take the release of her hotly anticipated debut, a once in a lifetime event, by the horns. The self-titled route will not suffice, especially when the artist is turning her imperishable dedication and vulnerability into an audible mark on both Aotearoa and international music. You’d be able to get a grasp on the album's themes from a quick dive into the title itself; The Rose of Jericho is a tumbleweed that is recognized for its ability to survive desiccation and return from the brink. As such, Georgia Lines storms through years of setbacks and uncertainties with the release of her debut album.

The sustained piano intro to Grow Old Without You is like a gentle awakening to the prospect of a new day and the sentiments that come with it. “I’ve been searching for who I was before, but I lost where to find me.” A powerful statement to the loss of feeling in oneself after being suddenly deprived of something or someone so imperative. She sings of the frustration of not being able to reconcile and re-emerge as gorgeous swells of strings dance around her and staccato like a heartbeat while the track rises and blossoms, sounding as if it serves somewhat as a guide to her salvation. Grow Old Without You is a spellbinding foundation to this album, an impressive and sentimental take on what we might come to expect from the intro to a pop record, and very welcome in the era of artists like Mitski and Laufey.

As if we needed a reminder of the power of Georgia’s voice and range, The Letter affirms her sentimental flair, highlighting her voice as the dominant piece that stands out amongst any instrumentation. Her vibrato itself conveys all the fervour that enshrouds the piece. Leaping through octaves from a strong head voice to tender falsetto, “it wrecks me to know I’m the reason we broke, I took your colours, and I turned them to grey” hits with intense longing and regret.

Longing and forlorn hope is put to a thumping groove in Say You Still. It’s a track that jumps from moments of frustration at a stalemate and questioning how best to extend the proverbial olive-branch. The production shines through as one of the albums most upbeat tracks, with a driving rhythm and belling synth lines that, paired with the ferocity of the piece, remind me of when I first heard Liz Stringer’s Dangerous; a song that similarly grapples with loss, responsibility, and eventual forgiveness.

Wayside strides through to the middle section of the album with titanic force. The thumping rhythm section and grand piano encompass the track in an appropriately robust energy in tandem with vulnerable, vigorous vocals. The stacked harmonies and further impressive leaps create an expansive chorus with a length of time double that of the verse, but so dynamic and enchanting that it never outstays its welcome. The audible scratches and slides of palms moving along the strings of backing guitars somewhat stick out to me as an addition to the deeply expressive and unapologetic personality of the track. As the final single released from the album against a growing buzz around Georgia’s work, Wayside is, as was the case with myself, many people’s introduction to her, and considering the themes, honesty, and aptitude of the track, it might just be the best representation of the Georgia we will surely be getting to know better over the coming months.

In Distance, enchanting finger-picked guitars and a laid-back percussion create almost a lo-fi background for Georgia to deliver her contemplating lyrics. “You and I have everything we need, so we can take a little pressure” only to follow with stating that “nothing’s ever bigger than the distance”. I’m faced with scenes that come with a long-distance relationship and the popular notion that it’s nothing but a slow death, one seldom overcome. There’s a lot to love about this track. The rain-like guitars and piano, the reflective and scrutinizing lyrics, and the gorgeous ascending notes of the chorus, that somewhat create a crescendo to the anxious thoughts that accompany the subjects of the song. Subjects that could evoke uncertainty or blind confidence and leave you wondering which is more trepid to navigate.

Her writing and performances certainly formed the basis to bringing on the interest of Wasserman Music after performing a string of gigs in the US. It’s always encouraging to know that kiwi talent is visible out in the big wide world of international music, and Georgia is no doubt in great hands with the same agent that discovered and unleashed Coldplay, after many years of steering her own ship as an independent artist.

Bringing the tempo back up again, Trust is undoubtably the grooviest song on the record. A sidestepping bop enshrouded in reverbing keys and chicken scratching guitar that blends into a chanking spread of disco and pop. Ringing stabs under each word, “Love. Trust. Pain” hammer home the all-too familiar pathway. The flow of the album is an enticing movement with otherwise slow and vulnerable songs broken up by upbeat tunes that are just as emotive, but with varying personalities, ensuring each track is just as prominent as the next.

The intro to Start of the Middle is a rolling piano and guitar line like something out of a National album, bleeding into verses of doubt and loss of direction. She sings of being “20-something, trying to figure out who I am”, a relatable attitude to one's formative years, and highlighted through the use of colours to describe her position; “I’m on empty at a red light” and “nothing is ever green”.

The variation between the songs is well defined, but connected by a voice that is so sure of its message; shaped and weathered by the path that has brought her to this point in time. The structure of her melodies dance through scales where the instrumentation below appears to respond, taking care to fill the sonic space, while leaving her chief instrument unmarred. The Verve-like End of the World considers a four-noted, gliding synth line and drum beat to be the only canvas that Georgia requires. As the instrumentation becomes more dynamic, so does she; darting in and out of falsetto hooks that a piano line imitates and circled by a rising string section that leads to a dreamy key-change for the bridge, before floating back down again. Like peaking over the tops of clouds before returning to cruising altitude.

A dance between voices and perspectives is on display for the penultimate track, Not By Your Side. A lone piano with the audible shifts and pumps of foot pedals sets the scene for the most intimate song we’ve been gifted. Georgia confesses the conflict it takes to break away from a hopeful relationship in the name of self-preservation. The soft and sultry voice of TEEKS paces through the track like a regretful onlooker that was once a piece of the puzzle that now lies ruptured. “Would you give me your love if I’m not by your side?” they ask each other as a measure of the unconditional nature of their connection. Both voices speak of accommodating each other, but still never managing to meet halfway, instead, reminiscing on how easy it was at the beginning. Despite the dejected auras that constitute the piece, the pairing is a joy to the ears with TEEKS’ bassy timbre floating under Georgia’s tender melodies.

In the albums closing stages, we finish on a similar note to where we started. Another audibly human piano performance accompanies Georgia as she questions her preparedness for a life where beauty and pain go hand in hand. It sounds like she is making a deal with herself, stating that she’ll “need to be distracted. Trading our pain for the cheap imitations on show….finding our peace in the midst of the distractions. Trading our pace for the beauty in all things I hold.” The song is called Grand Illusion, and it strikes as a foreshadow to what lies ahead based on what has transpired so far. It begs the question whether it’s the same thing to distract yourself with the possibilities of life, and to accept that heartbreak and disappointment is levelled by the beauty that surrounds it. It’s a surprisingly heavy note to leave the record on, and yet, still rounds the debut off with a sense of hope and consequent growth.

It’s obvious that Georgia has poured a lot of herself into this record. As listeners, we’re afforded a glimpse into the facets of her life and musical career. The Rose of Jericho is unmistakably her, and a memorable debut that will define her image for some time to come.

• 1
  Head Like A Hole
• 2
  Horror Story
• 3
  Fraser Ross
• 4
  Fur Patrol
• 5
  Michelle Rounds
• 6
  L.A.B.
• 7
  The Boondocks
• 8
  Late to Chelsea
• 9
  Springloader
• 10
  Baconfoot

• 
  Nadia Reid @ Loons, Lyttelton - 16/11/2024
• 
  Pull Down The Sun @ Franks Bar, Whanganui - 15/11/2024
• 
  Elidi @ Franks Bar, Whanganui - 15/11/2024
• 
  Infinity Ritual @ Franks Bar, Whanganui - 15/11/2024

• 1
  APT.
  ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
• 2
  DIE WITH A SMILE
  Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
• 3
  BIRDS OF A FEATHER
  Billie Eilish
• 4
  TASTE
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 5
  I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
  Gracie Abrams
• 6
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 7
  SAILOR SONG
  Gigi Perez
• 8
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 9
  A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
  Shaboozey
• 10
  GOOD LUCK, BABE!
  Chappell Roan

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