Jamie Floyd - 'Sunshine & Rainbows'

Released on March 11, Sunshine & Rainbows is the debut EP from country singer-songwriter Jamie Floyd. Featuring Jamie's previously released version of The Blade - a song co-written by her that has become the title track on Ashley Monroe's latest album - alongside five other tracks that see a mix of co-writers such as Lucie Silvas and Lori McKenna join Jamie in creating each song.

There are two tracks that really stood out for me within the release, one of them being title track Sunshine & Rainbows. Interestingly positioned as the final track of the EP, the relaxed feeling to the track rounds out the EP well, particularly after the blues rock feel to proceeding track The Devil Don't Live In Georgia. With a soft, almost lullaby-like feeling to the instrumentalisation Jamie's vocal slips smoothly through a track that suits her very well.

The beautiful The People You Knew is a real goose-bump moment. The delicate piano opening continues throughout the track with only minimal string and snare drum lines as accompaniment which really shines the spotlight on Jamie's heartfelt vocal performance and the lyrics themselves. Heartbreakingly emotional lines such as "I can't explain it but the world changed when you slipped away" and "I can't just stop by your house, or laugh till we cry on the back porch" are delivered with a breathtaking vocal from Jamie that is sure to touch any listener. Without a doubt a gorgeous track.

Three of the other four tracks on the EP have a considerably more upbeat feeling. Cleverly mixed in between the slower tracks, Casino, Hey Love and The Devil Don't Live In Georgia show the listener another side to Jamie. Whilst The Devil Don't Live In Georgia has had a mixed response I found that the bluesy rock feeling to the track works alongside Jamie's vocal surprisingly well and the delicate emotion that we heard through her vocal in other tracks becomes a gutsy, attitude filled performance.

I get the impression Hey Love is a great track to hear live. The opening electric guitar hook makes you want to tap your feet along right from the beginning and you quickly find yourself singing along through the catchy melody. The track also holds one of my favourite lyrics: "three sides to every story, there is yours, there is mine and there's the truth". 

Track listing...

1) Casino 

2) The Blade

3) Hey Love

4) The People You Knew

5) The Devil Don't Live In Georgia

6) Sunshine & Rainbows

Jamie proves here that she is definitely one of the strongest new female singer-songwriters country music has, to go from oozing poignant emotion in The People You Knew to channelling blues-rock attitude in The Devil Don't Live In Georgia so smoothly is definitely impressive and all of the songs in the EP survive on their own strengths. I am sure she will continue to develop as an artist even more and I'm intrigued to hear what a full-length album from her will deliver.

You can check out my recent interview with Jamie here - I would urge everybody to listen to this brilliant EP and hopefully we will get to see Jamie tour over here in the UK sooner rather than later!