(c)2022 Independent Release
Jodi Essex--Vocals
Josiah Prince--All Instruments, Production
Powerhouse vocalist, Jodi Essex, returns with the second single off of her upcoming new album, following the hard rocking lead track, "Offend". This time around, Essex slows things down to power ballad territory, albeit with some modern rock song structure, to present a song about the power of a person's will and the need to surrender our spirit and allow God to "unravel" the walls we put up around ourselves. A bed of electronic effects and percussion intros the song, with Essex's breathy vocals carrying the verse toward a powerful-yet-simplistic chorus. From here, new layers of instrumentation are added, with Prince's (Disciple) guitars adding their voice to the mix as Essex ramps up the power in her voice until it reaches a full-throated peak during the third run through the chorus. Orchestral elements are added as Prince winds his way through an emotion-drenched solo before giving way to Essex and her closing runs through the chorus. More outstanding guitar work leads the track out, and almost immediately I hit repeat. This...THIS...is the kind of ballad that Essex absolutely dominates and is what I was hoping we would hear from her this time around. I can't help but think of Berlin's big hit, "Take My Breath Away" from the Top Gun soundtrack when I hear this song (now that I mention it, I would LOVE to hear Essex tackle that classic hit!), and for me it is obvious this is the type of song Essex works best with, at least on slower material. As I noted in my review of her debut album, Irreverent, I love Essex's voice, I just didn't love some of the material she was working with, especially on the ballads, which I felt became too poppy and too soft. Essex has a presence that is absolutely dominating, and she boasts a strong range with the ability to convey emotion with her voice in a way most others cannot. When you combine that voice with the abilities of Josiah Prince, special things are going to happen...and they do on "Unravel". After hearing the first two singles, my excitement for Essex's new EP continues to build. Look for the full release in early summer.
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