There is something fitting about a woman who’s last name translates to “priest” singing about loss and transformation. Whether Miss Khouri, may or may not be a religious person is of no consequence, as her surname alone caries all the responsibility of a clergyman who must help those grieve with loss, salvation and redemption, especially when teaming up with producer John Parish. It appears the Parish and the Khouri can never be separated for long, even if it’s in name only.
What seems to have been influenced by the Beat Generation style of poetry and Arabic tones, The Salt Air is a melodic, almost hypnotic album that speaks from a broken soul. The struggles of identity in the shadow of being a perpetual foreigner, which could easily force someone to clam up and shy away from the world only to use their art as a means of expression.
My favorite song on this album is Surface of the Sea. Of 10 songs on this album, this one seems to have been the most heartfelt and open with Khouri’s emotions. You can hear it in her voice where she sings, “I can’t see the future, but it blows right threw me,” that you get the feeling everything will be all right.
Harmoniums meld flows effortlessly a through reverb-drenched electric guitar, all-the-while Khouri’s velvety voice is set against a beating Moroccan tar in the song Broken Star, with a near cabalistic thread runs throughout the album, notably via the tribute to the late Jeff Buckley called, Shake it like a Shaman.
Dropping today (Friday, February 3, 2017) via One Flash Records and currently streaming in full via Clash Mag, The Salted Air was recorded liveat Toybox Studios in Bristol, England.
Khouri will also be setting out on a European tour this winter .
EUROPEAN LIVE DATES
January 28, 2017 – Celtic Connections @ The Hug and Pint, Glasgow
February 03, 2017 – Big Comfy Bookshop, Coventry
February 04, 2017 – Rough Trade in-store, Nottingham (3 pm – Free admission)
February 12, 2017 – Delicias, Zaragoza (SP)
February 13, 2017 – Teatre del Raval, Castellón (SP)
February 15, 2017 – Centro Torrente Ballester, Ferrol (SP)
February 16, 2017 – Maus Habitos, Porto (PT)
February 17, 2017 – CCC, Caldas da Rainha (PT)
February 18, 2017 – Auditório Municipal, Sabugal (PT)
February 19, 2017 – The Rincon Pio Sound, Don Benito (SP)
March 31, 2017 – St Pancras Old Church, London – headline show
March 10, 2017 – Static Roots Festival, Oberhausen (DE)
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Khouri
- Overall Score
The Verdict
The Salted Air is a great album to sit alone in your room with a hot cup of tea and listen to the velvety voice of Nadine Khouri as you reflect on life.