Nashville-via-Sydney singer-songwriter Imogen Clark is getting high octane and back to the nitty gritty with her new album Choking on Fuel. After a breakneck year of non-stop touring, returning to her roots armed with an acoustic guitar, Imogen is rolling out a record that captures the intensity, vulnerability, musical dexterity and vocal power that characterizes her compelling live performances.
“I spent last year on the road around the world, playing headline shows but also touring with Robyn Hitchcock, Steve Poltz, BOWEN * YOUNG and Andrew Farriss”, Imogen explains. “So many people have messaged me or commented on my social media to say that they would love to have an album that captured the spirit of what I do live, and that’s what this is”.
The album puts Imogen’s rich, devastating vocals front and center, foregrounding her deft, cutting lyrics and affecting melodies. The record runs the emotional gamut from the wry, incendiary “All Hard Feelings” (with 70s style backing vocals from co-writers Sinead Burgess and Blake O’Connor, who also tears up a blistering slide guitar solo), a high-octane harmonica solo on “The Art of Getting Through” from the legendary Mickey Raphael, the sexy bluegrass raveup of “Sebastian” (where Imogen is backed by Aussie grassers Midnight Chicken) to the raw, powerful anthem “The Last of Me” (with My Morning Jacket’s Bo Koster on propulsive piano), the road not taken nightmare of “Squinters” (a co-write with Steve Poltz powered by Bryan Sutton’s nuanced acoustic guitar), a fiery Nebraska-esque anthem “If I Want In” (featuring Aussie rock legend Ella Hooper) to the delicate, timeless wisdom of “If Your Heart Never Breaks” (featuring gorgeous harmonies from co-writer Jim Lauderdale and a dexterous and beautiful guitar from the iconic Tommy Emmanuel).
An unexpected closing note comes with a radical reinterpretation of the classic Sheryl Crow / Jeff Trott anthem “If It Makes You Happy”, reimagined as a vulnerable duet with Imogen’s tourmate and Americana UK Live Act of the Year Kezia Gill. Aussie fans will expect to see it on the setlist when Imogen and Kezia head down under for a co-headline tour in October.
“I’ve gotten to know and write with Jeff Trott since I’ve been living in Nashville,” Imogen explains. “After hearing him explain how he began writing this song late one night on the piano, it sparked the idea of approaching the song from that point of view. Having Kez sing it with me added so much extra magic to this version of one of my all-time favorite songs”.
TRACK LISTING
1. All Hard Feelings ft. Blake O’Connor, Sinead Burgess and Mickey Raphael
2. The Art of Getting Through ft. Mickey Raphael
3. Squinters
4. Sebastian ft. Midnight Chicken
5. The Last of Me
6. If I Want In ft. Ella Hooper
7. Big One
8. If Your Heart Never Breaks ft. Tommy Emmanuel and Jim Lauderdale
9. If It Makes You Happy ft. Kezia Gill
