After years of riding a raw groove with Ash and later stepping into the limelight with a searching and harmony laden solo album ‘Grey Will Fade’, Charlotte will need all this experience and the guts she has displayed in abundance, as she releases her debut on her own label Little Sister (set up with her manager Ann Marie Shields). The boldness doesn’t end there, as the title track displays her most polished vocal sound that she pushes along with a nostalgic and a fuzzy 60s style accompaniment. Quirky instrumental interludes set a longing feel for Charlotte’s pleading touch to join up with. The end result is a four minute exploration of pop music as it should be, accessible but quirky.
A return to her rawer side is found in ‘Mr. Ed’, whereby the Katie Jane Garside in Charlotte rushes to the surface and stomps upon the rugged bass-lines, thumping percussion and roving 70s rock guitars. Calming, yet at the same time rustic backing vocals give the song completeness, contrasting with Charlotte’s range and represents some mood mixing craft and all-round adventure that this performer has been synonymous with throughout her career. The swooning ballad of ‘Cousteau’ casts a welcomed, calming shadow over proceedings, as the listener is hushed into submission. It is just what music needs at the moment some ranging adventurousness, well here it is!
