Janileigh Cohen: As A Child

Bolton-born singer-songwriter Janileigh Cohen’s debut album might have been over a decade in the making, but the wait has been more than worth it

“Life doesn’t always go to plan, and it’s been a long time coming, but I’m both happy and relieved to finally be releasing my first album. It’s a collection of old and new songs, some of which were written in my Grandma’s shed many moons ago, so in some ways it feels like the end of a (rollercoaster) musical chapter” reflected Janileigh on the eve of the release of her debut record, a real labour of love.

I first heard Janileigh busking outside the Royal Exchange some time around 2012. Struck by the beautiful voice as an oasis of calm amongst the mayhem of the streets around it, I noted the name and wandered home to find out more. Since then Janileigh has always threatened to release an album, with occasional singles acting as a tempting taster of what might be and a 2019 album of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen covers reminding us of the simple power and connection that a voice can have. Releasing an album without backing though, and doing it properly, is no mean feat and with crowdfunding in place, As A Child is finally born into the world.

It delivers everything you’d expect from Janileigh if you have stumbled across her on your way as we did that day in Manchester, or will captivate and have you looking for more should you seek it out. A great voice alone does not make a great record if the songs do not provide the canvas on which the singer can paint, but those glimpses into Janileigh’s world are now revealed in full view and are every bit as breathtaking as expected. With Caoilfhionn Rose enlisted on backing vocals and a lush selection of instrumentation – piano, pedal steel, violin, cello, harmonium, bass, guitar, drums, ukulele, fiddle, flutes and whistles, clarinet, hammond organ – the results are spectacular.

Janileigh’s voice is the star here though, the richness and depth, the intonation, cautious optimism and the lived-in experience of the words she’s singing. Opener Same Old Road urges the listener “and if you ever feel that you’re alone, don’t cover up your heart with stone” set to glorious strings that lift it even further into the stratosphere. The production is simple, unfussy and crystal clear which augments the beauty of the songs, the playing and the vocals. Like the opener, the album’s title track dates back as far as the 2017 EP of the same name, but As A Child feels timeless, like most of this record, reminiscent in parts of Kristin Hersh’s Cuckoo from her masterpiece Hips And Makers, a lofty comparison that it stands up to across the twelve tracks.

Another older track Sister yet again feels like fresh and vibrant and newer songs Leave No One Behind, Head Above Water and, in particular, the heart-wrenching Passing Time which open up the second side of the vinyl could also date from one of those lost 70s private albums that find their way into the public conscience from time to time. The album’s peak though is the final song on the ten-track vinyl version (the digital and cd versions include two extra tracks) Peace Of Mind, which sum up the searching questioning that goes on through most of this record – “come on, let love shine, I have wasted all of my time, trying to find peace of mind.”

As A Child is a true labour of love, a record that’s been a lifetime in the planning, written as Janileigh explains “as a way to escape and understand the world around me”. It’s finally seen the light of day, a triumph in itself in a world that pits everything against independent musicians. Poignant, delicate, fragile and full of heart and soul, it’ll captivate and enrapture anyone who stumbles into its path.

As A Child can be purchased from Janileigh’s Bandcamp.

All words by David Brown. More from David on Louder Than War can be found here and he is also the editor of Even The Stars.