Blending blues, rock, folk, and Americana, the Cornish singer-songwriter stitches together a collection of songs packed with wry observations on life and love. It’s a talent that has earned praise from the likes of Ralph McTell, Suzanne Vega, Nick Mason, and Chris Difford.
Comparisons to Joni Mitchell and Carole King are easy to understand, but I also hear echoes of Kiki Dee at her finest. That’s no bad thing.
Following on from 2022’s ‘Criminal Heart’ album, which was quite raw and personal in its emotional output, this is an album of love songs and negotiations. ‘On Unholy Trinity’, Rogers proposes an unconventional pact with a lover:
“As long as you don’t need him more than me, / We can turn this two into three.”
‘Good God’ finds her bargaining with a higher power, pleading for a little respite from life’s relentless frustrations. With its witty lyricism and relatable exasperation, it’s one of the album’s stellar moments.
The title track, co-written with Beth Nielsen Chapman and Elles Bailey, is another highlight. Part self-assurance, part desperate mantra, it captures the chaos of modern life with humour and heart:
“There’s a bagel in the fishbowl, Goldie’s gonna drown…I’m freaked out, insecure, neurotic, and emotional, but everything’s fine.”
It’s a collection littered with real quality observations and tune. Standouts include ‘He Reminds Me of You’, ‘Some kinda lover’, and ‘Sunday Rain’, but all tracks are of real quality.
Closing track ‘All For You’ reveals Rogers at her most tender. Yet even in its vulnerability, there’s an emotional fragility that makes you want to urge caution with her heart.
The album artwork perfectly reflects the music within a defiant Hollie Rogers striding confidently into the future, taking on whatever stands in her way.
Warm, witty, and deeply human, ‘Everything’s Fine’ is a wonderfully engaging collection of songs.
In ‘Hollieland’, everything really is fine.