With my latest run of luck and a dry spell with my new music quest, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get you another review before my 3 week break but music fans, I bring you one more album.
Now, for those of you who live in the UK, you will all be very well aware of the fact that our summer has pretty much sucked. I mean, it’s not even September yet and people are putting on their heating, the ground is water logged and the umbrella is the new essential in fashion-ware. None of this is cool.
So, apart from that making me feel like I’ve been cheated out of a balmy summer, I’ve also been looking for something to help resist the hand of winter and give me a taste of something a little bit more fun. Eliza seems to have helped me out with that one.
The first caveat I’m going to put out is Eliza’s voice might be one that some people love and some people hate. I like it and think it adds to the appeal of the record but my girlfriend hates it. A lot! But as with everything, it’s all down to ones individual taste and seeing as this is my blog, I’m going to go with the thumbs up.
With that sorted, what we have here is 13 tracks put together with lots of energy and mixed with a kinda rustic style. Can I say that? What I mean is the album has a kind of cool but vintage feel to it. Opening with “Money Box”, there is almost a fairground feel to the album but rather than a fairground with arcade machines and bumper cars, you’ve got coconut shy’s and helta-skeltas.
The track following that is called “Rollerblades” and although that is a little bit more down-tempo, it still retains the character and in a funny way, the magic.
Eliza has crafted a very clever album here. It comes across simple and innocent but in actual fact is a devious and cheeky character that is in a very clever disguise. Listen to “Skinny Genes” and I need say no more.
It’s not a perfect album – by the time you reach the end of it, you get the feeling that the formula is a bit over used and it’s all gone on a little longer than it needed. 13 tracks… unlucky for some? Still, I’m not going to overly knock it for that. It’s mostly a great little album with a couple of beautiful songs including “A Smokey Room” with lots of raspy singing and a great session feel to it.
This isn’t a classic but it is very good and one thing’s for sure, there are a lot of tracks on this album that are permanently stuck in my head. Hopefully, they will stick in yours too!
Eliza is apparently touring with Paloma Faith later this year so lets hope I can to a live review in conjunction with Paloma’s.
GGG
And that really is all folks until I get back… unless I find some oriental magic for you. I have a couple of gems on backorder so hopefully I’ll get an opportunity to listen to them and send up some new stuff shortly after I return.
G
G – loving this album. One of my favourites so far!