Eilen Jewell, Sway Wild
Stoughton Opera House 381 E. Main St., Stoughton, Wisconsin 53589
eilenjewell.com
Eilen Jewell
Eilen Jewell’s alt-country songs turn personal confessions into larger, political truths. Smart, evocative, and with a voice that conquers rooms of all sizes, the Boise, Idaho, native is known for her strong back-up ensembles that navigate not only the country side of things but help her steer the music into other areas, from surf-noir to classic blues. With Sway Wild.
press release: Honesty, confidence, and respect permeate Eilen Jewell’s music, dating back to her self-released Boundary County album in 2006. Since then, the Boise native has recorded five studio albums, with 2015’s Sundown Over Ghost Town presenting a masterful culmination of her work to date. Rich with cinematic visions, elegant sweet and smoky vocals, and hauntingly autobiographical songs, the record is a poignant, flavorful reflection of the artist’s return to Boise after nearly a decade in the Northeast.
As hard as it is to categorize Jewell’s music—terms like alt-country, roots-rock, country-noir, and Americana get used a lot—it’s even harder not to become thoroughly enraptured by the singer/songwriter’s powerful versatility and musical stories and images. As an NPR commentator declared, “She’s got a sweet and clear voice with a killer instinct lurking beneath the shiny surface.”