EP Review: Rissi Palmer ‘Still Here’
By Martine Ehrenclou
Acclaimed singer, songwriter Rissi Palmer released her three-song EP ‘Still Here’ out today via Invasion Merch. All three original tracks by Palmer open a window to a versatile and talented artist who is described for this EP as Americana. But there’s a whole lot more going on here. Her voice for one. Crystalline and soulful with a mighty vocal range, Palmer is easily one of the best vocalists out there today. And she’s got something to say.
The Grammy nominated Rissi Palmer made her mark in Country music in 2007 with her singles “Country Girl” and “No Air” and went on to release more charting singles and three studio albums. Still Here is grounded in contemporary R&B and it suits Palmer.
Her musical career includes appearances at The White House, Lincoln Center and The Grand Ole Opry. She shared stages with Taylor Swift, the Eagles, Chris Young and Others, and appeared on Oprah & Friends, CNN, CBS, GMA, Entertainment Tonight and has been featured in The New York Times, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, and Rolling Stone, to name a few.
The opening title track “Still Here” is an anthem to survivors who have overcome significant adversity. It features Miko Marks and is an inspiration to women struggling to hold their own in today’s society. With catchy guitar riffs and a Country flavor, Rissi and Miko work well together on lead vocals. But the song is R&B at its heart but with an edge, featuring backing singers, and a top-tier band. Rissi and Marks sing a testament to female empowerment, wrapped in deep groove and a compelling melody. Palmer is a powerful vocalist with a helluva set of pipes.
“Seeds,” with its strong social message, originally released on her album Revival (2019) gets a fresh take. It’s an unflinching look at today’s headlines, still relevant even though the song was written in 2014. With more of a rock feel with hard-hitting drums, Rissi sings “We are the army, the battle is now.” Even though her voice has Country influences, Rissi is one of the strongest vocalists today who could probably do justice to any genre she chooses.
The all too brief Still Here closes with “Speak On It,” a funky R&B, jazz-ish tune with stunning horns and syncopated rhythms. The rhythm section has it down, as does the entire A-list band. Speaking up is part of the message here but Rissi knows how to lure you in with a whisper and uses her impressive vocal range, authenticity and power to back it up.
Highly Recommended.
Rissi Palmer website
Still Here on Spotify
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