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DVDfever.co.uk – Sara Lov: Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming CD reviewElly Roberts reviews
Nettwerk Records
- Released: April 2009
- Rating: 8/10
- Vote and comment on this album:View Comments
Dreamy reflective ballads from LA. Where else?
Having been to California this year, I can somehow relate to what makes LA musicians tick its the weather and laid-back life style.I can smell the whiff of Venice Beach all over this seriously cool album.
Simple and sad with a shot of scotch, is how ex-Devics singer-songwriter Lov describes her latest LP. Its not a happy album by any means, but not depressing enough to switch off.Awash with honeyed vocals and melodies, this is a beguiling and haunting album guaranteed to soothe you at every level with each song effortlessly drifting into each other, seamlessly, even the reworking of Paul Simons Old Friends.
Lovs knack of pulling you in is due to a combination of bitter sweet ditties that will appeal across all ranges. Basically, Lov sees what was an ideal life or world through (mature) seasoned eyes which sort of takes the shine off the innocent eyes she once saw her world. This is probably best exampled on deliciously forlorn New York. Its that sense of revisiting the past, and a sign of not totally letting go, but also growing up. And wishing, of course.
Her gentle presentation harks back to the Summer of Love in 67, not too hippy-like, but with a modern twist, starting with swaying Just Beneath The Chords. This could be a classic Cilla Black ballad from the early 60s.She drops to an even slower pace and touch for Frankie with touch-lite drums and plodding piano.
Animals is a lament about a broken relationship, beautifully done as a duet: the counterplay is fascinating, along the lines that Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan successfully combined on, and the hurt is even more palpable on Tell Me How.The melancholic cello on Touched also brings back shades of Rices shoe-gazing album O.
Lov is emerging as a young lady, though theres a child-like quality to her singing, which is both reassuring and comfortable, enough to make you relax at the drop of a hat.
Best track? A Thousand Bees, as she looks back via memorabilia: Photographs, beautiful photographs, echo back, can take it back, which sums up the album to perfection, in just one line.
The verdict Yes sad, but gorgeous too.
Weblink:saralov.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Just Beneath The Chords
2. Frankie
3. A Thousand Bees
4. New York
5. Old Friends
6. Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming
7. Animals
8. Touched
9. Tell Me How
10. FountainView the discussion thread.blog comments powered by Disqus= 0) {query += ‘url’ + i + ‘=’ + encodeURIComponent(links[i].href) + ‘&’;}}document.write(”);})();//]]]]>]]>
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.