CD Reviews: Karima Francis, Sarah Whatmore, The Enemy
THE ENEMY: No Time For TearsShriek-it-out shuffle that ends up becoming something of a festival anthem-to-be. Strident with wailing vocals, bluesy guitar and huge chantalong chorus. It’s a bit of a monster.
THE VIRGINS: Rich Girls. Bass-led arty disco from the New York natives who release their debut album this month. This one’s not wandering far from the dancefloor.
RICHARD EMBERSTONE: Amazing Love.Nothing heavy from the soulster who gives this silky, slightly disorientating soul swirl a light touch. No macho posturing here.
BENJAMIN TAYLOR: She’s Gone.Taken from his third album, the not undernamed The Legend Of Kung Folk Part 1 (The Killing Bite) as he puts a soul element into folk and makes it absolutely crystal clear that she has, indeed, long gone. He’s the son of song gurus James Taylor and Carly Simon.
THE TEMPER TRAP: Science Of Fear.Nothing to be scared of from this melodic guitar and strings offering from the Melbourne band. Conjures up a sense of anticipation that’s just about met.
KARIMA FRANCIS: The Author. The Blackpool-born now Manchester-based songsmith’s pent-up expressiveness has exploded into glorious colour as she glides effortlessly from cry-in-the-wilderness lonely acoustics through to fully-rounded blossoming pop, A carefully-crafted collection that makes no bones about being deep and meaningful.
SARAH WHATMORE: Time To Think. Open-hearted songs that set off in folky mode before bending samples to her will – most notably the soft and bluesy Smile that’s founded on Hall And Oates’ Sara Smile. She conveys emotions without cliches and is essentially a gentle soul with gentle musings thought up when, unlike most of us, she’s had time to think. She can get a bit noisy, but just a bit.
VARIOUS: Pure Urban Essentials – Spring 2009. Not all from this spring by any means with a mixture of the old, new, nice and nasty. Includes Right Round by Flo Rida, Dead And Gone by Justin Timberlake, So What by P!nk, Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise, Keeps Gettin’ Better by Christina Aguilera, Lemar’s If She Knew, Piece Of Me by Britney Spears, Everything Is Borrowed by The Streets and Craig David’s Insomnia.
