Hannah Georgas has a million things to say. That’s the refrain on the second track of her fourth studio album, All That Emotion, and it rings true when you consider the variety of sounds and feelings available when you listen to the record.
Across 11 tracks, Georgas shows that she can use her performances to conjure up a variety of moods, moving gracefully from an epic, motivating experience on some songs to a haunting melodic dreamscape on others.
The album marks the Canadian pop/rock singer-songwriter’s latest release since her Imprints EP in 2019. The four-year break between All That Emotion and her last studio album For Evelyn may be one of the reasons that this album feels like a release of energy, almost like it has been released from a tightly sealed vault.
If there’s a defining characteristic of the album, it’s that each track has its own character. Georgas has a recognisable style, and this is heard throughout, but each track still manages to delight by being different even just in little ways. Harmonies on ‘Someone I Don’t Know’ are sure to pull on your heartstrings, but the pace picks up in ‘Just a Phase’, and combined with the lyrics – “I fly free in my mind sometimes” – it becomes a song about triumph.
The floating on-air quality of Georgas’ vocal performance may suggest she’s only at home against a traditional pop canvas, but that’s far from true. Tracks like ‘Punching Bag’ show that her voice also gels well with beats that are closer to electronic than pop/rock.
The instruments on these songs don’t overwhelm at all, in fact, they stand back and let Georgas’ voice be heard. On some, like the album’s opening track ‘That Emotion’ – guitar licks provide brilliant accompaniment in the choruses – they come and compliment her vocals. At its best, it echoes the kind of melodic double act pulled off by The Kills’ Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart.
Especially if you’re new to Hannah Georgas, All That Emotion serves as a powerful demonstration of the artist’s range, and her ability to pull from different styles to create a well-rounded record.
All that emotion is available to stream on Spotify.
