Joséphine Ancelle – Ends With Always

Joséphine Ancelle – Ends With Always
2010, Joséphine Ancelle

New York City-based Parisienne singer/songwriter Joséphine Ancelle returned in December of 2010 with her third effort, a five song EP entitled Ends With Always.  Sung in a patois of English and French, Ends With Always displays Ancelle’s sharpest songwriting to date, and the same sweet and exceedingly sultry voice that has made her a favorite both in New York City and Paris.

Ends With Always opens with “Tree”, a joyous, quietly catchy little tune about the roots of who we are.  The song is written in both French and English, and will get stuck in your brain even if you don’t know French.  “Ends With Always” plays like something right out of a Broadway show, like something you might here Sutton Foster delivering from the stage of the Marquis Theatre.  Ancelle does a fine job with vocals, giving a playful, light feel to the song that is endearing in its essential sweetness.  “Comme Un Livre Ouvert” uses strings, clarinet and piano built around a pretty melody to display a sense of simple emotional vulnerability.  This is a true wow moment for Ancelle as both a singer and songwriter.   “Man” finds Ancelle sounding a lot like Lisa Loeb in a song about the difficulties a woman has in just shaking off emotion.  Ancelle postulates what it would be like to be a man in this regard but runs into the contradictions of still being in love.  It’s a cute tune that shows a sense of wit that seems somewhat new to Ancelle’s songwriting.  Ends With Always closes with “De L’Air”, showing off an absolutely gorgeous melody line with a country feel.  The song explores the unknowable future, built on a sense of being headed in the right direction.  There’s a sweet simplicity here that is undeniable and enthralling.

Joséphine Ancelle just keeps getting better with time.  Ends With Always shows real development over 2009’s The I Love Yous, itself an outstanding effort.  Where Ancelle has existed in the past on pure talent and a sweet sense of perspective, her songwriting on Ends With Always shows magical flair of artistic genius at times.  As a performer Ancelle continues to improve as well, blending the essential sweetness of her nature with a growing maturity and confidence that make her a force to reckon with.  Ends With Always is Joséphine Ancelle’s best work to date, and that’s saying a lot.  Ends With Always is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Joséphine Ancelle at www.josephineancelle.com or www.facebook.com/josephineancellemusic.  Ends With Always is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The EP is also available from iTunes.  Be sure to check out Wildy's World reviews of Joséphine Ancelle's other albums, The I Love Yous and Unfinished Life.