Another review form Berkshire's Josaka:
"Touch" the triumphant new album from captivating singer/songwriter Anna Neale.
Often when an artist revisits material that's been gathering dust for many a long year it's a futile attempt to bottle the lightening of past successes once more. Many a burning of the reputation and ego has resulted.
Fortunately for Anna Neale and the music-appreciating public the revisitation of unfinished home-recorded material from the last 6 years has proved to be the genesis for her triumphant new album "Touch". Each of the twelve tracks is a highly-polished production resplendently layered at various points with multiple and varied backing instrumentation, including cajón, guitar, violin and double bass.
Anna's strong and captivating voice entrances you with the more ballad-like tales of St Peter's tomb in Rome in "St Peter", strolling along London's South Bank near "Waterloo Bridge", and the dawning of a new year of promise with "January". Faster tunes to get the blood, feet and fingers moving aren't neglected, with "Control" (the first single from the album) and the title track "Touch" leading the way in this respect.
Granted not all the tracks are up to the grade of their fellows on the album with "Keep Coming Again" and "Emotional Baggage" failing to entice me into their aural realm in the same manner as the rest of the album. But what I perceive as misses are likely to be classed as the opposite by other reviewers and the buying public. It's all about perception and the best way to decide is to check out the album yourself.
Overall we should be extremely grateful that Anna Neale decided to review what being an artist in this day and age means and went into the past to extract the 12 songs that now comprise "Touch". If you enjoy material of varying paces with quality production values and performances to match investing in this album will not be a disappointment.
We gave this album 8/10.
© Ian Sadler 2010
http://www.josaka.com/news/252/52/Touch-from-Anna-Neale/
About Me
- Anna Neale
- Hailing from Woking in Surrey comes a sensual, playful and feisty singer songwriter, Anna Neale. After touring as a member of the Dublin soul band The Commitments Anna’s move to become a performer in her own right has seen her take her career to a new level. So far Anna has performed her unique acoustic rock (or ‘sex folk’ as dubbed by the national Canadian press!) with gutsy vocals around the world, attracting the attention of an increasing number of fans with her live, TV and radio appearances. Winner of 2009's Guildford Brit Award for Best Female Solo Artist, this year has seen Anna complete her new album ‘Touch’ with producer Jez Larder (One Eskimo, Amy MacDonald) and headline at the world renowned Canadian Music Week festival (CMW) in Toronto. In 2008 Anna reached the finals of the London Metro's 'On-line, On-tour' competition', and the finals of MTV’s 2008 ‘Get Seen, Get Heard’ competition. Her interview and song (filmed live at 'Bed' in her home town) ‘Soul Momma’ received regular play on various MTV channels across the UK over the spring and summer. To finish the year, Anna performed as part of O2 Undiscovered before the Elton John concert at the O2 Arena.
No comments:
Post a Comment