Track Listing

1. Day One
2. Hanging Around
3. Back Of My Hand
4. Over & Over
5. Let A Good Thing Go
6. Ran For Miles
7. What A Day
8. Tear In My Side
9. I Wanna Stay
10. Lucky One (Bird Of Casadaga)
11. My God
12. Night On My Side

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27849 in Music
• Released on: 2002-05-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Amazon.co.uk Review
Night On My Side is the debut album from Gemma Hayes. With her lazy southern drawl and a beaten and bruised collection of broken-hearted country, Gemma should by rights have grown-up in hick town America, not Tipperary, Ireland. Indeed, with its campfire laments on life, love and escape, Night On My Side isn't a million dusty miles from the dead-beat introspection of Texan cowgirl-slacker Shea Seger's debut, The May Street Project.

A solitary soul laid bare, the tender plod of "Day One", fragile hope and honesty of "My God" and "Over & Over"'s drowsy regret are not so much cathartic venting, as late night diary confessions and captured moments. It's not what she says, but the passion with which she says it that makes her songs so phenomenally poignant. Aided by Mercury Rev and Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann, she doesn't just tell tales, she conjures full-blooded emotions. The details of "Back Of My Hand"'s unrequited love are irrelevant, it's the sinking feeling that counts. And when the Radiohead strength chorus crashes into "Let A Good Thing Go", and the speaker tearing white noise and guitar overdrive erupt in "Lucky One" they deliver a sense of loss like no words ever could. --Dan Gennoe

CD Description
After the success of her two EP's '4.35am' and 'Work To A Calm', Irish singer/songwriter Gemma Hayes releases her debutalbum. 'Night On My Side' moves away the folk tinged indie of previous work and has had a rockier edge added with the help of producer Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev, Mogwai, Flaming Lips).

Customer Reviews

Fantastic debut
I think I first heard her performing 'Back Of My Hand' on Jools Holland, or Jonathan Ross, or something. I was intrigued - I was just starting to notice her stuff in shops, but hadn't heard any of it. After buying a couple of singles, I took the plunge and bought this.

I was initially a bit disappointed - which was a great sign! Most of my favourite albums grow on me over time, and this one definitely has. From the beautiful dischord of Let A Good Thing Go, to the simplicity of 'Ran For Miles', every song is an intriguing joy to listen to.

Buy it. Give it some time to brew in your heart and mind, and you'll soon love it.

Breathtaking
I can confidently say that this is one of if not my favourite ever album; the songs are absolutely breathtakingly beautiful, with such a unique blend of Gemma's voice, style and diversity within the record. Listen to the samples if nothing else, but you won't be dissapointed with this album.

Work yourself into a calm!
I first heard Gemma Hayes' enigmatic vocals and sultry guitar while she was supporting Counting Crows on their recent European tour. Not only is she a Celtic Godess but she knows how to write an exceptional tune. This album is a beautiful collection of moving and extremely well written tracks.
'Hanging Around' is a true masterpiece, the first few seconds intoxicating you before being presented with a perfect marrige of vocals and emotion leading to an upward spiraling middle eight that leaves you as restless as you would ever hope to be. Conversely, 'My God' is an intimate story of faith that is wonderfully pleasing lyrically as well as being delicately private. This intimacy is emblematic of this record.
The sweetness of Gemma Hayes' vocals and the genius of her someties understated guitar will stay with you a long time after hearing this album. The fresh and slightly haunting edge she exhibits gives rise to a invigorating rollercoaster of breathtaking songwriting. In the cover of her album she talks about the misery and effort that went into producing this record. It was all of worth.