Thea Gilmore - Ghosts &
Graffiti (Fullfill Records)
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| Thea Gilmore - Ghosts & Graffiti |
Release Date: 18th May 2015
If I was to tell you that the
likes of Joan Baez, I Am Kloot, King Kreosote, the Waterboys and Joan As A
Police Woman had got together to make an album you'd be understandably
intrigued and more than a little impressed. When you learn that all of these
artists are actually just guests on the latest long player by the outstanding
Thea Gilmore then you might need to sit down and a stiff drink. This is a
twenty track beast of an album full of star guests at every turn, old songs,
new songs and favourites revised so find yourself a comfy chair with a good
view and let's begin.
The album opens with the gentle
strum of 'Copper' which eases you in to Gilmore's warm voice and lyrical
flexibility before 'Start As We Mean To Go On' steps things up a notch to
mirror the poppier moments of the Indigo Girls or Texas. 'This Girl Is Taking
Bets' sees the first guest appearance, from the excellent Joan As A
Policewoman, and the twangy, blues house guitars channel the likes of Michelle
Shocked , Chris Isaac and a more punchy take on George Ezra. There is a real
end of the night, after the party has finished feel to 'Holding Your Hand'
whilst 'My Voice' features the undeniable talents of Billy Bragg on a more
politically charged and spirit rousing tune that Peggy Seeger would be proud
of. The mood picks up on 'London', however, as the country tones and lively rhythm
tells a tale of not necessarily being homesick but certainly of longing to be
somewhere that you're not. We're only six tracks in and already there is more
versatility and ingenuity than most modern releases achieve in their entirety -
there's even a joke about the time difference between the US and UK. Strong
start.
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| Thea Gilmore - hats off to her! |
'Coming Back To You' is probably
my favourite track of the album as the infectious violin melody and strong
sentiment of love and loyalty get firmly under your skin. 'Love Came Looking
For Me' is a slick country-pop romp that leads up to 'Inch By Inch' featuring
the legendary Joan Baez, a slow piano based malady that would make even the
toughest man or woman shed a tear and think about some deep seated regrets. The
halfway point of the album is
'Glistening Bay' which sees the Waterboys adding a certain grizzly quality to
proceedings before the haunting 'Sol Invictus' sees a choir build the power and
intensity in a way that only the collective human voice can. The lazy guitar
strum of the marvellously monikered 'Razor Valentine' soon gives way to the
withering northern vocal of I Am Kloot and a moody saxophone adds a certain
underworld charm to affairs.
This is a particularly unique
album in that it looks backwards, forwards and brings some past moments in to
the present with a bit of a polish up. However, running through the core of the
album is excellent musicianship, superb songwriting and clean lines of
creativity. 'Old Soul' and 'Live Out Loud' are great examples of the
country-folk ability of the lady that this album celebrates while 'Juliet' is
the kind of song that makes you want to pack a bag, throw it in the back seat
and head off in to the sunset with nothing but a map and a few mix tapes. There
is a very different feel to 'Don't Set Foot Over The Railway Track' with a
drunk keyboard sound setting the scene for John Cooper Clarke to display his
unmistakable spoken word performance poetry. 'Wrong With You' is a sassy tune
that has a femme fatale spirit at heart while 'You're The Radio' is more of a
US country radio hit that gives people hope and a sense that they're not alone.
In the home straight, 'Inverigo' sees Gilmore performing with King Creosote on
a slow building ballad before the album closes with the seasonally inaccurate
but utterly gorgeous swoon fest of 'That'll Be Christmas. Thea Gilmore is a
talent in terms of quantity and quality, there's no denying that, but the
really impressive thing is that she has achieved a 17 year career, produced an
album almost every year and not once has she compromised on what she wanted to
produce or how she wanted it to sound. Superb and humbling.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/theagilmoreofficial?fref=ts
Live Dates:
9th May - Town Hall, Birmingham
10th May - Glee Club, Nottingham
12th May - Arts Centre, Pocklington
13th May - Komedia, Brighton
15th May - Sage, Gateshead
16th May - Arts Centre, Bingley
20th May - Town Hall, Cheltenham
22nd May - Pleasance, Edinburgh
23rd May - RNCM, Manchester
25th May - The Stables, Milton Keynes
26th May - The Apex, Bury St Edmunds
27th May - Cadogan Hall, London