Concert Review: Amy Jay Finds Reliance At Rockwood

Life has been a windfall since 2020, and part of people’s fear, nowadays, is that it might not stop falling. The whole, “Let’s party like its 2019!” Is 100% the desire, and Lord knows we try. Yet, at Rockwood, Amy Jay sang to those moments when we cannot hide. We’ve been traumatized, and, sometimes, it is not so easy to pretend like we even know what are dreams are anymore or that we can get them. 

One thing that I always love about ethereal, semi-depressive songstresses is that they, usually, are super sweet, witty, and approachable. For however much they know how to make a sad song feel angelic, in person, the last thing they feel or emanate is heartbreak. Amy Jay can closer her eyes and float her voice like a lotus flower down a candlelit river, and then proceed to smile at the crowd as if we are going to get ramen noodles after her show. It is knack that I felt with other particular artists like, Alfie Templeman, and, personally, love because they appear so harmless while singing to those of us that feel harmed. 

Sure, people hurt people, but Amy Jay’s newest work sings to Life hurting us like, “Covid-19.” She, lyrically, goes for those moments when we sincerely fear that the universe is against us, and, maybe, there is no brighter tomorrow though we cannot stop aiming for it. The sweet irony of life is that so many people feel hopeless, despite working every day for something to hope for, Amy Jay’s voice feel crisp and light like, warm, baked bread being broken and tossed for all of us to eat. She understands life is a baked good, even if we do not always know where the sugar is.