Lowri Evans – Kick The Sand (Fflach).
From the Welsh town of Haverfordwest, Lowri Evans has been steeped in music since the age of seven. She was a member of the all-girl group, Stella, with whom she released two EP’s before splitting up in 2002. After a couple of solo EP’s and contributions to compilation albums, she released her debut album, in Welsh, last year and quickly follows it up with this collection of ten self-penned songs and one marvellous cover. Can’t Decide is laid back, blues influenced, with acoustic guitar (Lee Mason), a bass player (Andy Coughlan) making his influence felt from the outset and keyboard player Wyn Jones sweeping up on a yard brush! Not At Maria’s places her firmly in the singer-songwriter field filled by those such as Janis Ian and the like. She’s much like Michelle Shocked, without the shock. Another string to her bow is the sweet, candy coated pop of the piano song, Lifetime. There are not too many U2 covers around and it does take a certain amount of bravery to take one on, so was With Or Without You a good move? She gives it an acoustic treatment and the addition of Nerys Richards on cello is a telling one, all of which makes it a surprising success. She’s back to the gentle, and rather twee, side for I’m Not In Love With You but Sorry Smokey is slightly better and her voice is becoming strangely familiar. It would be very easy to label her as a challenger to Natalie Imbruglia.
The title track is one of the highlights and is a piano classic in the making. She turns to her native tongue for Merch Y Myny and I apologise if my Welsh is not up to date to allow me to translate. This only sounds strange because you are not used to listening to the language and she has to be applauded for sticking to her roots and, with a melody that is excellent, it doesn’t really matter if you can’t understand her anyway. Conscience is gentle and she really sings from the heart. I think that she would benefit greatly from performing in small, intimate venues as I think that her voice would be best suited to those. Another piano ballad follows in the form of Me. This is a high end, Stevie Nicks type of song and confirms her as a top class song-writing talent for the future. She finishes with Mountain Girl (the English version of Merch Y Myny for us mono-linguists); another soft and gentle song but I would not have it any other way. It’s a welcome return to guitar for this and it conjures up visions of Welsh mountains and crystal clear streams. Lowrie Evans has a massive song-writing talent and a lovely voice, to boot. My only criticism is that she lacks a little edge in her delivery.
http://www.lowrieevansmusic.co.uk/
http://www.fflach.co.uk/
David Blue.
From the Welsh town of Haverfordwest, Lowri Evans has been steeped in music since the age of seven. She was a member of the all-girl group, Stella, with whom she released two EP’s before splitting up in 2002. After a couple of solo EP’s and contributions to compilation albums, she released her debut album, in Welsh, last year and quickly follows it up with this collection of ten self-penned songs and one marvellous cover. Can’t Decide is laid back, blues influenced, with acoustic guitar (Lee Mason), a bass player (Andy Coughlan) making his influence felt from the outset and keyboard player Wyn Jones sweeping up on a yard brush! Not At Maria’s places her firmly in the singer-songwriter field filled by those such as Janis Ian and the like. She’s much like Michelle Shocked, without the shock. Another string to her bow is the sweet, candy coated pop of the piano song, Lifetime. There are not too many U2 covers around and it does take a certain amount of bravery to take one on, so was With Or Without You a good move? She gives it an acoustic treatment and the addition of Nerys Richards on cello is a telling one, all of which makes it a surprising success. She’s back to the gentle, and rather twee, side for I’m Not In Love With You but Sorry Smokey is slightly better and her voice is becoming strangely familiar. It would be very easy to label her as a challenger to Natalie Imbruglia.
The title track is one of the highlights and is a piano classic in the making. She turns to her native tongue for Merch Y Myny and I apologise if my Welsh is not up to date to allow me to translate. This only sounds strange because you are not used to listening to the language and she has to be applauded for sticking to her roots and, with a melody that is excellent, it doesn’t really matter if you can’t understand her anyway. Conscience is gentle and she really sings from the heart. I think that she would benefit greatly from performing in small, intimate venues as I think that her voice would be best suited to those. Another piano ballad follows in the form of Me. This is a high end, Stevie Nicks type of song and confirms her as a top class song-writing talent for the future. She finishes with Mountain Girl (the English version of Merch Y Myny for us mono-linguists); another soft and gentle song but I would not have it any other way. It’s a welcome return to guitar for this and it conjures up visions of Welsh mountains and crystal clear streams. Lowrie Evans has a massive song-writing talent and a lovely voice, to boot. My only criticism is that she lacks a little edge in her delivery.
http://www.lowrieevansmusic.co.uk/
http://www.fflach.co.uk/
David Blue.
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