No offence to the rest of the Howling Bells, but Juanita Stein, better known as the singer of said band, clearly can do it alone. Releasing her debut solo album America on 23 July 2017, she’s just shared her new single I’ll Cry. And it’s beautiful. Sultry and sophisticated, with a swinging lilt, emotion lingers in every note and every beat.
Unashamedly classic in style, Stein says ‘I’ll Cry is a musical ode to the all American greats I took my cues from as a budding songwriter. Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline and the work of Phil Spector, all of whom made a significant imprint on my heart, I’m forever channelling that soulful sadness. I’ll Cry is a song that speaks of an impossible love, his resistance, her infatuation. Never a happy ending.’
It manages to be dark and whimsical at the same time, a confident melody underneath brave vocals and a fragile heart. It is all out American, but pokes at the ideal and image. The brief pauses before she interjects with ‘sometimes it gets too crazy’ bring the tune to the modern day, before the gorgeous outro that doesn’t last quite long enough. As if knowing that, just when you thought things were all over, there’s a cheeky strum.
America is released on Nude Records on 28th July, and Stein will be playing these shores in August to coincide with the release.