On a night when I’m not at my best, there are moments on ‘Change of Plan’ that still capture my attention. This 14-track collection from Sarah Louise is an assortment of sounds and genres. A selection box of different flavours from Country to Pop, Jazz to Folk. It is hard to pin her down, butContinue reading “Sarah Louise – Change of Plan”
Author Archives: Gareth Williams
Taynee Lord – Heavy Air
Taynee Lord is diverting down a darker road for her latest single. Country turns to Blues on ‘Heavy Air’: electric guitars creeping over her like shadows; haunted by the harmonies in the chorus. It perfectly resembles the situation in which she finds herself: trapped by a gaslit narrative that has moulded her into an anxiousContinue reading “Taynee Lord – Heavy Air”
The Way – BBC Wales
Its title is perhaps deceiving. For there are many ways to describe The Way. Realist, certainly, but both magic and social. Incorporating documentary-style shots with archive footage. Alluding constantly to myth and legend. And that fine line between the supernatural and the imagined. All such elements contribute to what feels like something that wants toContinue reading “The Way – BBC Wales”
Bariau – S4C
Bariau is the latest series to enter the realm of prison drama. With Time and Screw already making a mark in their respective ways, it is the turn of S4C to put a Welsh spin on the subgenre. Bariau follows the blueprint of the other two insofar as real-life stories inform the onscreen narratives. VerisimilitudeContinue reading “Bariau – S4C”
Girls’ Night In @ The Philharmonic Music Room
Each of the members of Girls’ Night Inbring something different to the show but friendship runs through them all like a stick of rock. The camaraderie between the four is a joy to behold, and is one of the reasons this Songwriters’ Round works so well. The quality of their voices and the variety betweenContinue reading “Girls’ Night In @ The Philharmonic Music Room”
Elles Bailey – The Night Owl & The Lark
The team around Elles Bailey has solidified over these past couple of years. And it’s only when hearing ‘The Night Owl & The Lark’ do you realise how integral they have become to her sound. Not that this latest EP disrupts in any negative way. There are notable differences though from her previous records. WhileContinue reading “Elles Bailey – The Night Owl & The Lark”
Neeve Zahra – Rub a Little Dirt On It
Stunningly beautiful. Nothing sums up Neeve Zahra’s new single better. ‘Rub a Little Dirt On It’ is one of those rare moments when the magic of the acoustic guitar works to unbelievable effect. The delicacy with which this Country-Folk track is played is matched by very few UK artists in the genre. It is classicContinue reading “Neeve Zahra – Rub a Little Dirt On It”
Amy-Jo – On Days Like These
Amy-Jo puts a contemporary twist on a well-loved classic for her first release of 2024. Not many have attempted to rework ‘On Days Like These’, perhaps because Matt Munro’s original is so definitive. Rather than make massive alterations then, the producers of Amy-Jo’s version merely update it using the latest techniques. It means a farContinue reading “Amy-Jo – On Days Like These”
Lisa T – Easy to Love
Lisa T starts 2024 with a deftly-pointed finger. Through a simple pop production that has a touch of classic Cheryl Cole about it, she presents the reality of what real relationship looks like. The stripped-back nature of the guitar chords at the beginning of ‘Easy to Love’ have more than a touch of romanticism aboutContinue reading “Lisa T – Easy to Love”
Mared & Bronwen – A Joint Christmas Review
Bronwen and Mared have been visited by the ghosts of Christmas past and present this year to tell their respective tales of home. Both Welsh singer-songwriters draw on a rich array of imagery to convey the festive season. ‘December Blues’ contains the most simple yet striking of pictures that represent a very modern sensibility. TheContinue reading “Mared & Bronwen – A Joint Christmas Review”
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