I’ve never heard any material by vocalist Mette Juul, but these two albums got my attention. She has a warm and husky voice, but even more important, she knows how to take a lyric and make it sound like a story . These two albums feature her in intimate settings, and she makes them work well.
Change has her mixing and matching spartan settings with guitarist Ulf Wakenius, bassist Lars Danielsson, pianist Heine Hansen and guest guitarist Gilad Hekselman-Per Mollehoj. She’s warm and delicate on “Beautiful Love”, personal and patient on the slowly undulating “Just Friends,” reflective with Danielsson during “I’m Moving On” and convincing on the easy sway of “Dindi” with Hekselman. Rich pastels.
The five song New York-Copenhagen has her supported by Mike Moreno-Ulf Wakenius-Per Mollehoj/g and/or Lars Danielsson/b with delicate guitar droplets framing a sincere “Some Other Time”, wispy “Skylark” and elliptical “The Peacocks”. Her “For Jan (Part Two)” is a haunting affair with ethereal moorings and she’s almost in a subconscious delivery for “You Must Believe In Spring”. She can sew a rich tapestry.