There are few who do Trad Country better in Britain than Megan Lee. The Welsh singer-songwriter sprinkles modern sensibilities over a concoction of fairly typical Country sounds on debut EP ‘Origin’. Opening track ‘Light of the Moon’ contains a sprinkling of pop; ‘Hey Danielle’ a silky electric guitar finish; and ‘Now You’re Gone’ an electro-beat. But behind and beneath remain classic elements of acoustic guitar, simple storytelling, and old-time honky-tonk energy.
Influenced by the likes of Cam and Midland no doubt, this combination of past reverence and present innovation serves Megan well. It enables her to tell her stories with integrity and clarity. The characters in each of the five tracks on this EP are well-drawn and come to life as a result. Whether it be the trash-talking Jersey Shore wannabe on ‘Light of the Moon’ or the bluebell-beautiful but lacking-in-love antagonist of ‘Hey Danielle’, Megan has a way of painting them onto a musical canvas with bold colours and hard-edged lines. Her smooth vocals have a versatility that is subtle but noticeable. She conveys the sweetness of ‘Lost Boy’ and the acerbity of ‘Now You’re Gone’ with equal conviction.
Final track ‘Church on a Sunday’ embodies her central qualities. It features the classic Saturday night / Sunday morning tension of Country Music but is encased in a very modern Rock/Gospel sound. The two verses present a very evangelical change in the central character, contrasting alcohol, divorce and infidelity with sobriety, selflessness and religiosity. Confession, forgiveness and “solemn prayer” all play a part in the chorus on which this transformation takes place. It is a stereotypical faith narrative of the genre in many ways. Yet Megan Lee, like she does throughout ‘Origin’, seems to present it afresh.
She honours the past while being influenced by the present.
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Featured Images (C) Megan Lee
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