Sarah Gillespie - Stalking Juliet

Styles: Folk
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:05
Size: 110,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. Stalking Juliet
(4:14)  2. Big Mistake
(3:28)  3. Close Range
(3:44)  4. How The Mighty Fail
(4:23)  5. Malicious Simone
(5:53)  6. Million Moons
(6:11)  7. Ahmed & Dangerous
(2:32)  8. Houdini Of The Heart
(6:27)  9. Don't Be Sorry
(4:44) 10. Call Me Stupid Ungrateful Vici
(2:01) 11. Sleep Talking

Stalking Juliet is the first album from Sarah Gillespie, a UK-based singer and songwriter. Musically and lyrically this record constantly surprises, challenges and rewards in equal measure. Gillespie has written all of the album's 11 tracks two of them in collaboration with producer and arranger Gilad Atzmon.The songs have strong melodies and in some cases seductive hooks, but this is not a light and frivolous take on the world. Gillespie gives no indication of self-pity or bitterness but many of the lyrics, as well as some of the instrumental arrangements, suggest an anger about the experiences that have inspired her to write these words. This is by no means a bad thing: the anger is leavened with humor, and produces some memorable lines: in one case, where a character is described as "rolling your eyes like a sugar high child."

Gillespie has a powerful voice which eloquently transmits this anger and disdain, and would be far less suited to passivity or self-pity. Titles such as "Big Mistake," "How the Mighty Fall," and "Call Me Stupid, Ungrateful, Vicious and Insatiable" the latter a co-composition with Atzmon clearly reflect their lyrical content. Musically these songs show influences as diverse as country, rock and Middle Eastern styles, while "Houdini of the Heart" another Atzmon co-composition could have emerged from a work by Berthold Brecht and Kurt Weill. 

Atzmon is best known as a saxophonist and, indeed, his sax playing is crucial to the overall feel of much of this album; but here he predominantly plays accordion, with touches of harmonica on many tracks. Billy Adamson's electric guitar is used sparingly but to good effect, particularly on the beautiful "Million Moons," while Asaf Sirkisand Ben Bastin are a key rhythm section throughout. Tales of lost love, broken hearts, broken promises and, occasionally, true romance, permeate this record. Gillespie delivers the songs with honesty and passion, and even when their meanings are unclear she still creates an implicit understanding of what's going on. Her voice is original, hard-edged much of the time with a husky and seductive tone at the lower end of her range. This is an assured debut from a performer of great potential. ~ Bruce Lindsay  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/stalking-juliet-sarah-gillespie-egea-records-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php#.VBXbXhawTP8
 

Personnel: Sarah Gillespie: vocals, guitar; Gilad Atzmon: accordion, alto and tenor saxophones, clarinet, harmonica; Asaf Sirkis: drums, urdu; Ben Bastin: electric and double-bass; Billy Adamson: guitar; Sameer Makhoul: violin, oud; John Turville: piano; Emma Stockton: backing vocals (2, 5).

Stalking Juliet

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Sarah Gillespie - Glory Days

Styles: Folk
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:44
Size: 93,3 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:50)  1. Postcards To Outer Space
(5:14)  2. Glory Days
(3:37)  3. Sugar Sugar
(4:51)  4. Oh Mary
(3:51)  5. Signal Failure
(5:10)  6. The Bees And The Seas
(4:53)  7. The Soldier Song
(3:27)  8. Babies And All That Shit
(4:46)  9. St. James Infirmary

British singer-songwriter Sarah Gillespie s first two albums won her critical acclaim for mixing folk, blues and jazz with vivid lyrical imagery. Her latest album Glory Days cements her reputation, not only as a starkly original songwriter, but also as a formidable musician. Featuring eight original songs and one cover, the solo guitar tracks (Postcards to Outer Space, Oh Mary) mark her as a fiercely good guitarist and a Joni Mitchell for the new age. There is a sharp intelligence and wit at play, as she bestows her musical heritage (she is half American) of Delta blues, Cole Porter-esque wordplay and folk narrative onto visions of the modern world where church bells can be downloaded, wars watched on 24-hour news cycles and where relationships rely on the receptiveness of smart phones (Signal Failure). ...equally assured writing about the personal or the political. The Times Despite her trademark smattering of socio-politics Glory Days is Gillespie s most personal album to date. Songs alluding to grief reveal songwriter intent on transforming the pain of loss into a triumphant celebration of life. Similarly, the love songs on the album evolve from heartache my, my, your love was like/digesting dynamite to the witty quips of comical pastiche Babies and All That Shit you want some hooker in the back ground and I don t mean John Lee.

Backed by a formidable band including 2010 Mercury Prize nominee Kit Downes on piano, Sarah Gillespie s Glory Days was produced by Gilad Atzmon. His production beautifully augments the backdrop of Gillespie s melodies with dreamlike Wurlitzer piano, subtle clarinets and moody accordions. All this provides Gillespie with the space to weave her poetic tales, which she delivers with an edgy tour de force that marks her out as an exceptional performer. Despite the smattering of socio politics, Glory Days is Gillespie s most personal album to date. Songs alluding to grief (Postcards to Outer Space) the night devours us and the wind sings its oblivious blues and the beatific title track that journeys through biopic snap shot images of reminisced moments, reveal a songwriter transforming the pain of loss into a triumphant celebration of life. Similarly the love songs swing from heart ache my, my your love was like digesting dynamite to the witty quips of Babies And All That Shit you want some hooker in the back ground and I don t mean John Lee. With a voice described as powerful, seductive & vulnerable, Gillespie delivers her stories with a tour de force worthy of any theatrical stage. 

A more raw and acoustic album that its predecessors, Atzmon s innovative production places Gillespie s deft finger picking guitar at the forefront of a formidable trio featuring Mucury nominated Kit Downes on piano, Enzo Zirilli on drums and Ben Bastin on double bass.  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Glory-Days-Sarah-Gillespie/dp/B00C9CILMQ

Glory Days

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