Nous by Diane Birch | Album Review
Diane Birch’s 2016 release takes us deeper into a jazzier side of her pop/soul-infused sound.
I remember finding Diane’s duet album Bible Belt and falling in love with her throwback 70s singer/songwriter sound. The rich waves of Wurlitzer keys brought to mind Carole King. Many will be familiar with her take on The Sisters of Mercy’s “This Corrosion” through its use in commercials in the early 2010s. Her most recent release, Nous, takes Diane to Berlin, Germany as she dives deeper into realms of soul, jazz, gospel, and R&B. The album’s title comes from the Greek word commonly used for “common sense.” She uses this thesis statement to play to need to use your common sense in the realms of love.
Diane kicks off the album with the short prelude “Hymns for Hypatia.” The song is entirely sung acapella. What I like the most is how the hymnal nature of the song slowly evolves into the soulful sound that will make up the next track. Birch opens the album in Greek which translates to, “And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” There is a duality between logic (Hypatia) and faith (God). All of this acts as a metaphor for using logic to dictate your next move over the hope of someone reciprocating their love.
The opening intro perfectly sets us up for “How Long” themes. Birch’s thick vocals pull at each word making the aura of longing that much stronger. Her soulful sound takes the form of the sinuous river with the earthy woodwinds mixed against the warmth of sax and horns. She begs for her lover to finally reciprocate the feelings she has, “Where’d you hide emotion?/ You’re the lucky one/ Patience I don’t know/ Sooner or later well you’re gonna find it/ Ooh your love your love your love will open when you say it/ So tell me/ How long must I wait for your love?” Its sultry, velvet-like tone heightens the experience. This is one of the most decadent pieces on this release.
“Kings of Queens” brings a completely different experience. It almost suspends its listener in the air as the pulse of synths and distance horns circulate the periphery. Diane uses the duality of a baseball game to display the hollowness of a man’s ruling, “Man on third / loudest sound you ever heard/ C’mon Amazin’s / give us the feelin’ we still believe in/ Miracles / triple crowns and walk-off chills/ Stealing home / in-between you’re all alone/ Kings of Queens / with no means to rule/ There will always be a crowd to fool.” This tidal pull that the electronic effects deliver adds to the sense of detachment. It’s almost as if being lost in a daydream.
“Interlude” is the only instrumental piece on this project. The short track begins the path into a brooding tone. Her piano work sounds distant. It’s as if you are hearing it being played across a large empty room. Occasionally, the notes will be ever so slightly pulled and reversed. These subtleties foreshadow the melody of the upcoming track.
“Stand Under My Love” swings us back in the direction that Diane’s music sounded like on her prior releases. Her piano work anchors us as the dark, bluesy sway of Birch’s vocals provides shape. If you enjoy the richness of Hozier’s work, you will be right at home here. Through the smoke that coats this song, we get the lifeline of Diane’s promise of love, “Big sky come crashing down/ There has to be a place for us in this world/ With a little shelter from up above/ Little lies at every turn/ I wanna be the face you trust in this world/ When you need a little shelter/ Stand under my love.” This is her forte. Birch’s softly annunciated words caress its listener through the weight put upon us by the backing instruments.
“Walk on Water” continues its audience through the darkened gray alleys brought in by the prior track. Some of the most delicious harmonies come in throughout this track. It’s a little trip-hop, a little hip-hop, and a little jazz all wrapped into one. Diane perfumes us with a sense of hope that love can perform miracles, “What if there were no borders/ What if no one ever caught us/ Take a step out/ Love’s an ocean/ We can walk on water/ Take a step out/ Love’s an ocean/ We can walk on water/ On water.” Little flutters of sax and samples bring out a beautiful sense of drama. I could easily see this getting cut and sampled by someone looking to add depth to their rhymes. Not only is it a highlight, but one of the biggest surprises on this album.
Birch chooses to close out the album on a more gentle note with “Woman.” Only a saxophone cuts through the vines woven by her haunting vocals and solemn piano melody. All of this adds poignance to her words. Diane seems to melt under the love-stricken spell she’s been put under, “Wash me in your love/Crown me with your burdens/ I walk in your shadow/ I wait at your window/ Take me inside your heart/ Whisper on the winds the secret/ The song of the sparrow/ The point of the arrow/ Woman/ Woman.” She turns this one itself in the second verse as she seeks to pull forth her maternal instincts to heal those she loves. The arrow she sings on could be falling in love “the point of the arrow” or the loving someone “the blood on the arrow.” It’s a powerful and profound way to close out this project.
I find Diane Birch to be a criminally underrated artist. I thought her third album, Speak a Little Louder, showed a lot of range in her vocal ability. This release only expands on that by seeping into different genres to add depth. Diane sounds confident on Nous. She tries new things while incorporating her trademark soulful flavor effortlessly. My biggest complaint is how short this project is. I am left wanting more after the album concludes. Like I had said earlier in this review, fans of Hozier’s sound will thoroughly enjoy Birch’s heavy, rich vocal style. I will be getting a good amount of rotation in my playlists. My overall thoughts on Nous:
Loved it: “How Long”, “Kings of Queens”, “Stand Under My Love”, “Walk on Water” & “Woman”
Liked it: “Hymns for Hypatia” & “Interlude”
Disliked it: None
My overall rating: 8.5 out of 10.
