New Music Reviews: Raye and Wendy Eisenberg

Two distinctive artistic visions this week. Enjoy the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach of British neo-soul singer Raye, and the arty precision of Wendy Eisenberg.

Wendy Eisenberg

Wendy Eisenberg

2026, 7.5/10
Wendy Eisenberg combines country instrumentation like banjo and pedal steel with the precise arrangements of chamber pop. Eisenberg’s a strong guitarist (they’ve played with Bill Orcutt’s guitar quartet) adding to the atmosphere of precision. Meanwhile, their gentle voice has a harsh New York tinge – together with their interest in mystical lyrics, it reminds me of cult 1970s songwriter Judee Sill. Eisenberg names Sill as an influence, alongside artists like John Prine and Joanna Newsom. It’s a fascinating hybrid.

I had this weird, semi-mystical experience. I remember walking around for hours alone, having given up on some kind of straight love, straight performance. Much of what I thought I wanted felt totally irrelevant. The part of me that felt like I had to be legible to appease imaginary people finally needed to die.

Wendy Eisenberg, Bandcamp

Sometimes it feels like they don’t quite have the vocal skills to do justice to their terrific melodies, like on ‘Another Lifetime Floats Away’. But their gentle voice suits the laid-back ‘Will You Dare’. The arrangements are sometimes very sophisticated – on the lengthy ‘Vanity Paradox’, the violins sound like they’re beaming in from a parallel universe.

I sometimes wish I found Eisenberg’s voice more soothing, but there’s a lot to like with Eisenberg’s sophisticated playing and songwriting.

Raye

This Music May Contain Hope

2026, 7.5/10
British R&B vocalist Rachel Keen wasn’t necessarily on my radar. But my tween daughter keeps playing this album, loving it enough to include Raye in her current top-five artist list, stuck to her bedroom wall.

This Music May Contain Hope is Raye’s second album, and it’s ambitious, running for an eclectic 73 minutes. She’s indebted to soul music from the 1960s and 1970s, kind of like Amy Winehouse’s wholesome younger sister. Al Green appears on ‘Goodbye Henry’. She also collaborates with German film composer Hans Zimmer on ‘Click Clack Symphony’, reaching impossibly high notes.

Raye is full of ideas – she’s not afraid to throw in a spoken-word section, or get silly. ‘The WhatsApp Shakespeare’ is theatrical and unpredictable – “he’s a cursive kisser” is one heck of a hook line. She’s already a terrific vocalist, warm and full of personality.

At this point, though, she’s still best when she plays it straight. ‘I Know You’re Hurting’ is a soulful ballad where the simple structure works beautifully with the grand arrangement. The single ‘Where Is My Husband!’ is punchy and delightful.

Not everything lands on The Music Contains Hope, but it’s full of personality and it’s well worth cherry picking the best songs.

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