Connie
Lush has a new album coming out in December. It's called
'Renaissance' and if you move quickly you can get Santa to add it to
your essential Christmas list. Tell him The Hat sent you. If you have
ever been in a relationship ever in your life - and I guess that just
about covers most of us - you are going to clutch this CD to your
bosom and play it till it wears out. It is a both a woman's terrific
paean to the fragility of our relationships and a smart reminder of
how tough you can be when you need to move on.
Connie
pulls no punches here. If the opening track 'Lonely Boy' about
hanging on to yesterdays and waiting for a train that never comes and
'Don't Cry For Me' are heavy with heartbreak, then she is soon moving
on and quite at home with the sisterhood reminding you, with some
assurance, that 'I Don't Say Goodbye - I just turn my back on you'.
Last
year, Connie - five times winner of the Blues in Britain Best Female
Singer Award and a prominent presence on the UK blues scene for many
years - decided to take herself away from the touring circuit for a
while and have a re-think. The creative result is this new album and
it has all the hallmarks of a carefully written, planned and
beautifully arranged project. Most of the material is self-penned
with just one cover and the subtle and unobtrusive arrangements allow
her emotion-soaked voice to bestride the tracks and make you listen
to her story.
It is
impossible not to be drawn in to the interplay, in particular,
between her voice and the beautiful and eloquent guitar work of Steve
Wright, who was also involved in the production. The trio of Steve,
Terry Harris and Roy Martin fit together seamlessly. There are many
examples on here, notably the self-penned 'Crying Won't Help You',
where the guitar takes the wistful and painful ballad into a
perfectly constructed solo, and 'Writing Without Words' about the
inevitability and pain of goodbye. This is a stunning track.
The
final track and the only cover is a version of the Reid and Shamblin
killer 'I Can't Make You Love Me', made famous by Bonnie Raitt.
Connie takes this and slows it down to an entrancing sadness, where
every single hurting word is made to count. You would expect little
else of such a major talent and when she is surrounded by a trio of
superb musicians, the creative result is beautiful, powerful and
poignant. This is a fine album. If you want to see this superb
vocalist live, she will be on stage next year at the massive 'Sisters of Blues and Soul' festival in
July. Better book a ticket now....
