Ever watched a t.v. talent show and wished the contestants had more of an idea of what type of artist they were?  Better still, ever wished that the winner would produce an album of songs that surprised you, something other than predictable?  Well, Emma’s Imagination (Emma Gilespie) has definitely come out with an album that does not conform to the usual stuff expected of a music show winner.  Maybe it’s because she came to Sky’s ‘Must Be The Music’ already having spent 10 years plying her craft busking on Glasgow’s streets and playing in pubs, or maybe it’s just because she is far more than just a voice.

My main issue with talent shows is that, while the contestants are usually very good, there are only a notable few who manage to transition from that stage to ‘artist’.  For every Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry and Will Young, there are countless others who’ve fallen by the wayside.  Being on t.v. does not an artist make, it simply gives someone a giant leg up the ladder, what they do after that is, in my opinion, what counts.

I personally didn’t see the show Emma’s Imagination won but the second I heard some of the previews of her c.d. on iTunes I had to buy it.  It’s an absolutely beautiful album that any person who appreciates ‘good’ singer/songwriters will undoubtedly love.  From opener (and lead single) ‘This Day’ to ‘Focus’ and the two perfectly pitched covers ‘Drive’ (by Bic Runga) and ‘Falling Slowly’ (by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova) you are taken on a wonderful, wistful journey that never fails to brighten your mood.

Emma’s voice is beautiful and clear, her arrangements sometimes different but always effective, and her lyrics are a perfect combination of straightforward honesty and symbolism.  Wonderful stuff.

I really hope that Emma’s Imagination is successful enough to record a second album because, on the strength of her debut, it can only get better.

That isn’t to say that this new collection of tracks (seven in total) doesn’t show any growth, it does, but the sunshine vibe hasn’t dulled.  No songs full of hatred for a girl who’ve ‘done him wrong’, this guy’s CD is full of life-affirming and positive tracks that will leave you with a grin on your face.  No searching, melancholy but don’t think that means a lack depth.  Indeed, Ruymen’s songs exude a happiness that some cynics would relegate to Kodak commercials, yet there’s an authenticity to his lyrics, helped in no small part in their delivery by his fabulous, clear voice. In the midst of the day to day drudgery, Ruymen’s songs are uplifting, something sorely lacking from a lot of music.  Having this on your mp3 player for any length of time will have you believing in the whole ‘love’ and ‘happy ever after’ business all over again.

Crafting music perfectly suited to a summer road-trip, and already being featured on MTV’s The Real World: New Orleans and feature film You Again, Ruymen’s star is most definitely in the ascendancy.  Roll down your windows and enjoy the ride!

Go here http://soundcloud.com/shaunruymenmusic/sets/today-is-the-day-1/ to listen to the album preview.

http://www.shaunruymen.com/home.html

As with most albums I have my favourite tracks, though I couldn’t listen to the cd without every song, because together they become something more than just a collection.  Despite the fact that this is such a diverse gathering of songs, or maybe because of it, ‘Hearts On Parade’ is something very special indeed, and grows on you more and more with every listen.  This confluence of vocals, writing, musicianship and production, each at the peak of their craft, shows what true artistry can be achieved without the interference of a label.  It’s artists allowed to be just that and, while it’s wonderful, it’s also slightly disheartening when you consider how great some other musicians COULD be with the same lack of dilution.  Let’s not dwell on that though, it could be much worse, Arrison could have decided to go into something other than music.

From the soaring guitars of ‘Trying To Help You Out’, through the hauntingly beautiful ‘Serenade’ and ‘Caged Bird’, ‘Hearts On Parade’ has everything.  A strong title track, a ‘don’t mess with my man’ barstool anthem (‘Little Miss Plastic’), and a bittersweet reminiscence of growing up and first crushes (‘Walk Me Home’), it’s all here.

If you’re looking for a pitch-perfect pop album, look no further, ‘Hearts On Parade’ is the kind of cd you hope your little girl will want to play out, the kind you’ll have in your car stereo ’till it’s worn out, and most definitely the kind which will have a play-count at the higher end of the scale in iTunes.  Load it into your mp3 player and go for a long walk.  You won’t ever look back.

http://ashleyarrison.com/

When I last reviewed something by Ashley Arrison it was her E.P. ‘Talking Circles’, a beautiful collection of tracks. This time I’ve bought the debut single off her forthcoming full-length album ‘Hearts on Parade’ and to say that it showcases a real growth in Arrison’s sound would be an understatement.

Co-written by Arrison, Aben Eubanks and Kelly Clarkson, ‘Trying To Help You Out’ instantly feels more polished with higher production values than Arrison’s previous works. It boasts lyrics leaning toward the country-narrative style, accompanied by music in the pop/rock vein. One wonders if Sarah McLachlan decided to go more alt-pop/americana is this what she’d sound like?

Below is the beautiful, just-released music video.  Make sure and give it a view.

The lynch-pin of the track of course is Arrison’s vocal. At once clear and emotive it takes the listener on a journey, never becoming self-indulgent, never falling short, and somehow describing the sentiment of the lyrics perfectly. Singers who portray a truth and honesty in today’s music market are few and far between (on backing vocals Kelly Clarkson is one such artist) and Arrison is definitely firmly in that group. You can really feel the heartache of someone trying to persuade an infatuated lover that they’re in love with an illusion.

“You see perfect, or pretty damn close.”

There’s a frustration at being trapped in an unrequited relationship and a fear of how to end things without crushing the other person. For her part, Clarkson provides a real weight and depth to the backing vocals, complimenting Arrison’s clarity perfectly but never threatening to overpower her.

If ‘Trying To Help You Out’ is any indication of the quality on Arrison’s album, then we’re in for a real treat. For an artist who’s sung backing vocals on many a major release, it’s nice to finally see her step fully into the limelight.

On the 1st of July go pick up Ashley Arrison’s debut album ‘Hearts on Parade’ on her website www.ashleyarrison.com (though I hear they’re taking pre-orders).

Folk music with a dash of production ‘jiggery-pokery’ and a lot of talent.  Gretel have a knack for making the smallest subject seem epic without the need for the usual bangs and whistles.  Instead they utilise many different and, for me anyway, new sounds layered in a very organic way.  Whether it’s a simple snare drum or a type-writer, Gretel use the unusual to drive their melodies and the end result is some very special folk indeed.

‘(jingle)’ Is a cute and quirky start to the EP, showcasing their harmonies very nicely.

‘Carlotta’ has a very atmospheric intro with a mournful trumpet playing over music that feels quite unsettling after a few moments.  When the actual track begins it has a more whimsical tone, mainly due to the tempo, but it moves back into unease with layered harmonies.

‘Morning’ is a beautiful, melancholic tale of breaking free from everything familiar and believing you are meant for more.  I feel that it’s a song about the courage most people would like to think they possess, the courage to follow your heart no matter how terrifying the path.

‘Can I Still Come Over’ has an Ane Brun quality to its guitar style, a very hypnotic, moving melody.  Lyrically Gretel are head and shoulders above most of what you’re used to hearing, but then again, they are folk – a genre that is home to a great many fantastic lyricists.  So you could say that when I pressed play I expected a lot.  I wasn’t disappointed.

‘Meteorite’ sounds like it’s building to something really big.  The trumpets verging on fanfare and the typewriters clicking away, waiting for the big story.

‘I Am Japan’ is like ‘Meteorite’ in its creation of a sense of building.

With their quirky sometimes quirky sound-design and beautifully layered harmonies, Gretel are a force to be reckoned with.  Their tracks are destined to be on movie soundtracks and stereos across the country.

Check them out at http://www.gretelmusic.com

http://gretelmusic.squarespace.com/

http://www.myspace.com/gretelmusic

So I’m starting this review and have ‘Film Noir’ off Shire’s ‘Rapture’ release streaming.  Can I just say that it is absolutely beautiful!  I’m not very well versed in jazz, but this just feels wonderful.  It washes over you like a hazy daydream and honestly, until my connection made the stream stop, I was in danger of not being able to type at all.

Shires wields the trumpet in such a non-invasive manner and is completely captivating with a subtlety I, in my naivety, did not realise was achievable with a brass instrument.  Then again, maybe I need to bulk up my c.d. collection.

He first came to my attention when I attended a Kelly Clarkson tour date in October, most notably when he stepped out on stage to do a duet (he playing the trumpet, Clarkson singing) of Patsy Cline’s ‘Walking After Midnight’ and almost stole the limelight entirely, no easy feat when you consider the calibre of talent on stage.  I’m including a video of the song as performed a few days after I saw it…

(Shires enters at about the 2 minute mark, though I recommend watching it the whole way through to get a proper feel for the track)

I was also lucky enough to meet Shires after the show (and also the following evening at an Ashley Arrison gig in NYC) and he was the perfect gentleman, a very, very nice guy.

I have never shied from buying an instrumental record, but never has one seemed to have a vocal on it, such is how the trumpet sings in Shires’ recordings.  I am definitely ordering a copy soon, this streaming business just doesn’t do it justice.

So, if like me, you’ve passed the above image accompanied by rave reviews pasted on walls and wondered ‘Who the heck is Joshua Radin?’ it might be worth your while to read on…

I have to hold my hand up and admit to oftentimes buying albums simply based on their cover art so, when I spotted Radin’s poster and LOVED it, I was determined to not give in and make sure I listened to at least one track before racing to the record store.  I failed miserably but, in my defence, I wouldn’t have had I not spotted the track You’ve Got Growing Up To Do featuring one Patty Griffin (I’m a HUGE Patty fan) .  There’s very little else almost guaranteed to cause such a knee-jerk purchase and before I knew it I was walking out of the store, c.d. in hand.

To get on with the actual review though, Simple Times opens beautifully with One of Those Days and never falters throughout.  Listening you get that almost-palpable sensation of driving the open road, windows down, hair whipping out around you, as the scenery rushes by.  There’s a momentum to his guitar-playing, hypnotic but never forceful, and the whole c.d. washes over you like a breaking wave.

Radin is softly-spoken but his voice has just enough edge so as to avoid being lumped in with the James Blunt set, and when his is accompanied by a supporting vocal, they compliment each other perfectly.  The juxtaposition of his husky tones on top of the sweet, clarity of the guest vocalists’ works wonderfully.

Lyrically Radin is direct but never obvious.  There’s nothing superfluous or flowery about the words he’s singing, everything just fits.

If you want a point of reference for what Simple Times sounds like, think Bright Eyes with a little Jack Johnson’s Sleep Through The Static thrown in.  There’s also a hint of Paul Simon’s Graceland on We Are Okay, and some country flourishes to several tracks.

He’s already gotten bucket-loads of critics raving and I definitely recommend him so what other excuse do you need?  Get yourself to a record store pronto!

…oh, and you can follow him on Twitter http://twitter.com/joshuaradin

When you hear that these Belfast boys count Snow Patrol among their fans you kinda want to take a listen, and you won’t be disappointed.

If you’re looking for fresh-sounding alt/rock then take a listen to their myspace.

To support Pink you have to have something special and last night Kiwi outfit ‘Evermore’ followed in ‘Raygun’s’ footsteps by cranking the whole notion of a support gig up a notch (or ten). From the very first note, this trio of operatic rock/pop-ers (the rock comes first) owned the stage like they were headlining.

They had an epic sound, like if Muse went a bit more pop, and didn’t stick to any one genre.  One of the first tracks even had a rave-like drum kick-off.  They had excellent three-part harmonies which managed to fill the arena, crystal clear thanks to the fantastic audio set-up of the O2.  On the third track, this one more of a ballad than the previous two, they had a U2/Snow Patrol feel.

The three guys each took turns on lead vocals, at one stage the drummer sitting holding the mic in one hand and drumming with the other.  They swapped instruments regularly, each playing at least two elements on the stage.

From their outfits to their demeanor these guys scream theatrical rock stars, then again as I previously said, it takes a lot to support Pink.  I thoroughly enjoyed their set, as did most of the gathered crowd.  It wouldn’t surprise me to hear that these guys were embarking on a headlining arena tour in the near-future, ’cause they certainly have the sound to fill one.  All they need now is a few mainstream radio hits but it can only be a matter of time.

This singer/songwriter/producer based in Montreal, Canada lists Coldplay, Chantal Kreviazuk, Jimmy Eat World and The Goo Goo Dolls as influences and when you take a quick listen to the tracks on his myspace it’s not hard to hear why.  For someone who’s unsigned there’s no hint of this being anything less than highly professionally produced. Ghattas clearly knows his stuff on the production side of things too.

The first track I listen to is called ‘What You Do’ and musically it has a real Mat Kearney (2nd album) sound to it.  It builds nicely with the orchestral flourishes adding an epic, soaring feel.

Throughout the songs the major influence I can recognise lyrically is Kreviazuk, her ‘Ghost Stories’ album being a frequent favourite of mine.  It is no mean feat that Ghattas brings her to mind with his lyrics either.

On ‘Beautiful’ I can hear the Goo Goo Dolls influence as well as Yellowcard, as Ghattas pairs the rock with a soaring, anthemic feel.

‘Find Your Way’ kicks off with a Graham Colton guitar feel and is one of my favourites.

I love the lead acoustic riff on ‘Walking Alone’ while on ‘Can’t Let Go’ there’s a bit of a Ryan Cabrera feel to his vocal style.

My only problem with Ghattas is that he’s not doing anything terribly different.  Personally I’d buy his c.d. but I definitely struggle to see where there’d be an opening commercially for him.  That said, his music is that kind that sells by the bucket-load and provides the backing for many MANY movies and t.v. shows, so why there wouldn’t be room for him I don’t know.

While proficient in every aspect of his craft I think Ghattas just needs to approach things with a little bit of a different angle.  The talent’s obviously there, he just needs to catch someone’s ear.