Sometimes you bring two things together and the result is bigger than the sum of the parts. Eric Collier and Janine Garvey, both accomplished singers and musicians in their own right, have demonstrated their abilities individually. Now bringing their voices together on ‘Drive’, we sense alchemy. Gold made from constituent parts. A connection that provides something that is bigger than their combined abilities.
A drought of live performances in South Gippsland during the COVID-19 period of 2020, saw the birth of No Promises. Janine and Eric discovered a strong artistic connection during a number of writing and rehearsal sessions in the middle of the year. The result was the decision to create their own collaborative project, forming No Promises.
Are they country, pop or rock? Most artists relish the opportunity to be defined by a genre in which they feel comfortable. Eric and Janine refuse to do that – they write, create and record music that transcends a single, easy-to-label and definable genre box. Take their debut album ‘Acoustic Sessions Volume One’ for example. Released in December 2020, the album has spawned two very different singles. Compare these two tracks – ‘Liar’ that would sit comfortably on a Melissa Etheridge album, and their first single off the album, the emotional ballad ‘Break The Fall’ – with notes of Stevie Nicks and the clear influence of Fleetwood Mac. Then line up their very first standalone release, the country heartbreaker ‘Love Me Or Leave Me’, that you could just as easily find on a Kasey Chambers album, or second release, the very rocking ‘Private Wasteland’ that could belong on a Powderfinger album.
This is genre-busting music at its best. Janine is a prolific songwriter having already written over 150 songs in just 10 months, crossing those genre boundaries, and combined with Eric’s songs and musical arrangements, the catalogue of studio-ready material ensures that the second No Promises album, due later this year, will deliver another stunning collection of great tracks. Most bands and artists strive to create music that will be well received by a particular demographic. The demographic that will enjoy Janine and Eric’s work can only be defined as “most music lovers”.