In 2015 Natalie Prass put Spacebomb on the map. Sure, the Richmond, Virginia hidden gem/studio/house band/musical family had been steadily churning out record after record of gorgeous, well-produced folk and country-leaning music with Matthew E. White at the helm. But the release of Natalie Prass blew the world away — though she was a complete unknown, the singer’s golden, folk-pop debut topped year end lists, earned the attention of Ryan Adams himself, and put the long storied label and studio on the radar of many people who were previously unaware of the talents it housed. Later in the year, the debut record from Julien Baker had the same effect.
Perhaps that precedent is why Georgie’s “Company Of Thieves” has me more excited than I usually am for the debut song from a brand new artist. “Company Of Thieves” runs on a familiar groove like a lowriding classic car, it’s bluesy and defiant and a little bit sexy. Georgie is British — from East Midlands to be exact — and a sliver of her accent comes through, like Adele and Amy before her, without defining the song itself as indigenous to any particular region. If it has a home anywhere, it’s sidled up next to the doo-wop and soul records it so adroitly references.
Georgie’s voice gets hoarse and low at certain points, her voice revving like an engine on the “yeah yeah yeahs” of the chorus before it shifts back up into an idle purr on the verse. For a kiss-off, “Company Of Thieves” is fairly mild-mannered, but it’s the way it hints at a danger and anger that elevates it beyond a standard ’60s rip and pegs Georgie as a potential breakout star in 2017. Of course, White’s expert production and mixing by Dan Carey guarantee this song is everything we’ve come to expect from Spacebomb; it’s deliciously retro, slick without sounding tinny, and adept at tugging hard on my heartstrings. Watch the video above and look for more from Georgie next year.
