Liverpool has never been short of talented singer-songwriters, but in a city where musical reputations are so often built on the past, there’s something refreshing about an artist determined to establish a voice of her own. Liverpool-born Jennifer Vaudrey, whose influences range from Joni Mitchell to Stevie Nicks, arrived at the Philharmonic Music Room to launch Time Like Water, an album of personal reflections, emotional honesty and songs drawing upon several decades of popular music. Accompanied by a band featuring Liverpool Americana favourites The Jesse Janes, alongside additional guitar, drums and keyboards, Vaudrey had assembled a talented group of musicians capable of bringing her songs to life. The combination promised an evening of rich harmonies, accomplished playing and thoughtful songwriting, and it certainly delivered.
Appropriately, Vaudrey opened with ‘River’, the first track on the new album. A song inspired by Liverpool and her father, it immediately established the deeply personal nature of her songwriting. There was something particularly fitting about beginning an album launch in her home city with a song that celebrated both place and family. Another new composition, ‘Storms’, followed, before ‘Broken’ introduced a distinctly Fleetwood Mac flavour to proceedings. With its echoes of the melodic West Coast sound associated with Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie, it was an early indication of how comfortably Vaudrey’s music sits within that particular singer-songwriter tradition. Vocally, Vaudrey frequently recalled both Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie, combining something of Nicks’ earthy, expressive delivery with the warmth and melodic clarity associated with McVie. It was a particularly appealing combination, especially on songs that drew upon Fleetwood Mac’s distinctive blend of folk, rock and West Coast pop. Yet there was enough individuality in her phrasing and delivery to prevent the comparisons from becoming merely an exercise in nostalgia. ‘Holding on to You’, written back in 2014, took things in a more deliberately country direction, demonstrating that Vaudrey’s musical influences extend beyond the folk-rock sound that characterises much of her work. It also provided an interesting contrast between her earlier songwriting and the material from Time Like Water.
The arrangements were stripped back for ‘Calling’, a song from her debut EP, with only the women remaining on stage. Accompanied by Claire Jones’s beautifully judged keyboard playing, the performance allowed the vocals and harmonies to take centre stage. It was a reminder that, impressive as a full band can be, sometimes the simplest arrangements are the most effective.
There was plenty of warmth and humour between songs, too. Vaudrey revealed that ‘Blue Shadows’ had become something of a running joke among the musicians, with its title suggesting that it might just as easily be a song about the trials and tribulations of supporting Everton. In Liverpool, of course, such a suggestion was always going to raise a smile.
Another early composition, ‘Goodbye Mister’, had an unusual origin, having been written as a university assignment. Its melodic sensibility and the interplay between the vocals and instrumentation demonstrated Vaudrey’s understanding of the classic singer-songwriter tradition. That a song originally composed as part of an academic exercise should still find a place in her live repertoire says something about its enduring appeal.
Perhaps the evening’s most unexpected musical departure came with ‘Piece by Piece’, a love song inspired by the Bee Gees. Built around a disco beat, it brought a welcome change of pace and demonstrated Vaudrey’s willingness to step outside the more familiar folk and country-influenced territory.
The emotional centrepiece of the evening was undoubtedly ‘Time Like Water’, the title track of the new album. Vaudrey introduced it as the most vulnerable song she had ever written, a reflection on the fluid, unstoppable and ever-changing nature of our existence. With the female voices combining in harmony, it recalled the emotional directness and delicate beauty of Anna McGarrigle’s composition ‘Heart Like a Wheel’. It was a particularly affecting moment, the kind of song that relies not on musical grandstanding but on the ability of the words, melody and voices to communicate something deeply human.
The main set concluded with ‘Hide Away from Love’, another song from her debut EP, bringing the evening full circle by connecting the artist she is today with the songwriter who first began releasing music more than a decade ago.
An appreciative audience wasn’t about to let her leave without an encore, and Vaudrey returned with ‘I Remember’, another deeply personal composition inspired by her father. Having opened the evening with a song connected to him, it provided a touching sense of symmetry. The final number was a cover of The Band’s ‘The Weight’, an inspired choice given the Americana influences running through the evening. Its communal spirit and opportunities for shared vocals made it a fitting way to bring proceedings to a close.
The musicianship was another considerable strength. The Jesse Janes, featuring sisters Kate McCusker (vocals and fiddle) and MaryRose McCusker (vocals), alongside Tom Crofts (guitar) and Andy Ashton (bass), brought their characteristic Americana sensibilities and beautifully blended harmonies to the arrangements. They were joined by Chris Howard on guitar, Jacob Naylor on drums and Claire Jones on keyboards, completing a versatile ensemble equally comfortable with intimate ballads, country-inflected numbers and more rhythmically driven material.
Particularly impressive was the way the musicians knew when to step back, allowing Vaudrey’s voice and songwriting to take centre stage. With a friendly, appreciative audience and a relaxed atmosphere, this was an album launch that felt more like a celebration among friends than a formal presentation of new material. Vaudrey’s musical influences were readily identifiable, but rather than simply reproducing familiar sounds, she used them as a foundation for songs rooted in her own experiences. Time Like Water may reflect upon the passing of time and the changes life brings, but on this evidence, Jennifer Vaudrey is an artist whose songwriting continues to develop and mature. An enjoyable, heartfelt evening that demonstrated the enduring appeal of well-crafted songs, expressive vocals and musicians who clearly enjoy playing together.
This was a one-off show presented by Liverpool Acoustic. Full details of their upcoming events can be found here, https://liverpoolacoustic.co.uk/
Reviewer: Adrian Cork
On: 04/11/2026
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