The story behind Scratch It has some real colour; having assembled a full on band for a one-off show in early 2024, Meghan Remy decided that so successful had it been that this line up would be the next U.S. Girls record’s personnel. For an artist who to that point had been long on experimentation, such a traditional aesthetic almost seemed almost too straightforward.
Recorded in Nashville over ten days, the plan was to use minimal overdubbing and capture a close to live vibe. Not necessarily a revolution for some, until that is you call to mind that Remy’s eclecticism has been the most consistent feature of her career.
What emerges is a collection of songs which touch on singers (Opener James Said espousing the self healing powers of solo dancing in tribute to James Brown, Oh Patti on sharing a bill with the Horses chanteuse) and is long on uncomplicated rock, country and soul. It’s anomalous set piece is the twelve minute odyssey Bookends, a two for one epic which flips from country ballad to stomping disco workout. Scratch It doesn’t always deliver – Remy’s voice is too often reaching – but history tells us that for her such a flaw is hardly the point.
You can read a full review here.
The Voice Of Unreason 