Vodka has long been a fan of folk singer and songwriter, Emily Barker. Emily’s latest single, Machine, from A Dark Murmuration Of Words (September 4, 2020), and now available as a two-version single, is one of many triumphs from the long player. A Dark Murmuration of Words is one of the most socially conscious records of 2020, and Machine is just one example of that. 

What’s the point of a great folk song with a powerful message if it is so ho-hum that you don’t want to hear it again?  There’s no chance of that being an issue with Machine. This is mostly a beat-driven vehicle for Barker’s pristine voice with just a sprinkling of fuzzed-out guitar, to make the “Machine” feel mechanical, and a chorus of voices in the refrain that absolutely knocks this track out of the park!

“I made the world a place easier for me
Money in my pockets over centuries
I’m a celebrated sinner with statues in the park
This world I made is harder the more your skin is dark“

That is the very first verse of Machine, and it sets the tone for the rest of the verses that follow. In the final verse, Barker makes plain that a reckoning is coming:

“But a crack has appeared, it keeps me up at night
There are whispers, there are shouts and I fear the wolf will bite
I’ve been a bully and a sinner now I’m on the way out
For the world I made is harder the more your skin is dark“

The long history of Emily Barker’s work is evident on other posts on Vodka, and each is worthy of a look back, but A Dark Murmuration Of Words is in a class all its own. This triumph is, both musically and lyrically, an outstanding offering.

You can find more information on Emily Barker by heading up to her website which has all of the social and purchase links right there. You can pick up the two-version single of Machine on her bandcamp.com site too. 

Emily Barker’s music has never been more important than it is right now. Pick up A Dark Murmuration Of Words, the two-version single for Machine, or any of her other great music now!

Note: With Covid-19 still around, probably to be with us for some time, artists like Emily Barker and many others need your purchases to keep their heads above water. If your situation allows it, consider purchasing more in these tough times. –Vodka