Reaching back to pre-Beatles rock for inspiration -- but tossing in a jumble of influences including the torch songs of Billie Holiday, film scores, flamenco, and more -- Gemma Ray has sculpted a sound that is familiar and warm, but also appealingly off-kilter and full of noir-ish touches. After making her recording debut in 2008 with The Leader, she stripped back her typically cinematic sound for the 2010 covers album It's a Shame About Gemma Ray, then took a more pop-oriented approach to 2012's Island Fire. Alongside a dozen original songs, the latter included collaborations with Sparks on covers of two of their tunes. She returned to a spookier retro-rock on albums such as the more personal Psychogeology from 2019. ~ Paula Carino