If something hums, they say it’s full of activity. If true, then this album passes the hum test. At times I hear a little Bonnie Raitt, at times I hear a bit of Judy Collins, and yet at times I hear Joni Mitchell. She is part blues, part country, and part folk. Her music overflows with emotion and movement. The artist is Grainne Duffy who is releasing her third album Where I Belong. While listening to Where I Belong, one thing comes to mind. Grainne has got herself a hummer.
Grainne breaks into the album with her opener and title track, “Where I Belong.” This well-produced piece makes Grainne an unattached songbird while adding powerful duets throughout the track. The chord progressions in the third track, “My Love,” are emotional to the ear. Grainne relies on her voice as she carries the instruments. I love the paradox in the piece, “Don’t Want to be Lonely,” “but I need to be free.” There is much reality with this tune. Her last track, “Home,” is another favorite. If Grainne was holding back in the first 9 tracks, she let it go in the last track. I have to admit, I suffered “last song syndrome,” with “Home.”
Grainne Duffy’s Where I Belong is an album filled with a lot in one package. Her music represents eclectic strong points. This latest album shows who she is, and where she is headed. To add, her songwriting displays confidence and maturity. So, where is Grainne Duffy headed? If limits are to be set, Grainne will be the one setting them. I’m J.R. Joseph Miller, and this is Grainne Duffy humming Where I Belong.