(Self-released, CD, digital)
On her first solo record in nearly 14 years, Burlington indie-folk singer-songwriter Emma Cook reintroduces herself, to a degree. It’s not as if she were sequestered in some cabin, writing songs by candlelight, far from a stage. Cook previously fronted Emma Cook & Questionable Company and currently performs with the folk trio EmaLou & the Beat and as children’s musician Miss Emma.
Of the Morning is a different beast, however. Recorded in Brooklyn with producer and singer-songwriter Katie Martucci, the album is a fully realized and sonically gorgeous collection of songs that Cook spent years writing. They reflect a mature artist reckoning with the objectification of the female body (“Forbidden Fruit”), the anxiety of the modern world (“21st Century”) and self-doubt (“You Are Not Alone”).
There’s plenty of sunlight on Of the Morning as well, such as the unabashed love song “Into My Heart.” Overall, Cook expertly balances the moods and themes of the record. Her voice is as warm as a flannel blanket — breathy one moment, soaring the next.
While making the record, Cook told Seven Days that its themes center on “connection and our shared humanity,” and those threads are indeed present. Of the Morning lives up to its name. Its eight tracks put the listener in an almost trancelike liminal state before the day demands movement, evoking the early-morning tenderness of staring out a window and drinking coffee for as long as life allows.
Give it a listen at ecookmusic.bandcamp.com.
This article appears in August 5 • 2026.
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