Reviewed by Helen Whitall

'May Day 1916', a charity EP produced by the Newcastle-upon-Tyne singer and her band to benefit The Royal British Legion, begins with two poignant tracks commemorating the terrible losses of the battle of the Somme, and reflecting on the tragedy of war. The title track tells of a letter from home written to a soldier at war; his wife describes all the things happening that he is missing, but can't tell him anything about how she is feeling. Sweet clear vocals, acoustic guitar and soft brass band backing seem to conjure up the springtime sunshine and bustle of life back home, infused with the sadness of impending loss. Following on, "Corporal Morris" is an instrumental folk tune on the acoustic guitar, keyboard accordion and military-feeling snare drums. This piece is as evocative as the first, this time seeming to tell the soldier's story. In the context, it's a thought-provoking piece, but I feel it would have been worth the band finding a real accordion player; the keyboard version isn't quite good enough for the otherwise high quality of this release. The commemorative release is completed by "Shine Like The Road", a cover of a song by Dean Owens. I found this a little sentimental, but again it is beautifully done. The EP ends with a total change of scene; "Small Print", with its American country rock blues electric slide guitar and harmonica, is a complete departure from both the style and theme of the rest of the release, but works surprisingly well, lifting the tone from the melancholy to the sassy for a great finish.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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