Janet Devlin – Not My First Emotional Rodeo (Deluxe): She’s Been Bucked Off Before, and She’s Still Riding
With Not My First Emotional Rodeo, Janet Devlin widens, deepens, and complicates the texture of her voice as it has always been; soft around the edges, sharp where it counts, like beer foam drops on concrete or a spark flicks off of ash.The deluxe version of the album is not only a comprehensive expansion of Emotional Rodeo, but also a second chance for Devlin to return to this boxing ring and redistribute the bruises, the clarity, and the grin she wears as proof that she has lived through far worse.
From start to finish, the album reveals an overwhelming sense of motion. The tracks of this record unfold themselves, the way an old radio would as one would take the static off of it to catch the signal. Candy is an upbeat swagger of boots kicking up dust, however, throughout the many slow and quiet moments, one can see the true essence of the hero's journey running through this record. If He Wanted To He Would packs an intense punch, something you can only learn through experience, like the feeling of taking the long road home after the lights go on. The heavy tension of Plastic Pistol strikes with immediate impact and is matched against the playful sting of Psycho Ex, proving that Janet Devlin understands how to blend shadow and shine and still maintain her footing at all times.
"The Gambler" is a different kind of song from the rest of the album. It’s an intimate performance that feels as if it was performed across a small kitchen table in the middle of the night with no embellishments and no fancy effects, just its story. You can imagine the child riding through the hills of Ireland, the teenager softly humming it to herself, and the woman, now ready to reveal the song that she has kept hidden away for such a long time, sharing with everyone else. It touches your heart, and it’s raw and vulnerable yet very grounding to you (imagine holding metal that’s been in the freezer or touching a piece of wood that just came from a fire).
The true impact of this project is not its finish or quality; it’s the actual presence that it brings. The reason this album is so strong and has lasted for so long is that her fans have known these songs before the recording of the album, and they would sing them back to her at her shows. That same cycle of feedback and connection keeps the album alive.
The song “Not My First Emotional Rodeo” is an artist's way of saying “I’m here to claim my spot”. There’s added grit, grace, and truth to the song. And more importantly, there is no fear of failure.