Georgie Thorogood reviews the new album by Ashley Campbell – Something Lovely – out this Friday 9th October.
Being somewhat underexposed to Ashley Campbell, it was difficult to know what to expect with this album, but her reputation as a serious talent appears to be pretty spot on. Whilst far from the heavily produced country-pop albums which are so frequently released, Something Lovely has an authenticity and purity reminiscent of some of Kacey Musgraves’ biggest hits.
Kicking off the album is Good to Let Go, a gently produced Americana track with some lovely harmonies. Whilst some music of this genre can be pretty depressing, this carries a more positive vibe of self-progression and moving onwards. Campbell’s vocals are very unique and it’s a nice opening to the record.
Forever’s Not That Long comes next. With a cheerful beat and pitch, accompanied by some jazz inspired keys, this has a distinctly Musgraves feel about it for those fans of modern era traditional country, but undeniably has the sounds of her famous father Glen running through it. A really nice song and one of the strongest on the album.
Vince Gill appears alongside Ashley on the next track, If I Wasn’t. With a very western feel from the word go, the prominence of strings during this song reminds the listener that Campbell is a talented musician and producer as well as a natural vocalist. Building up the production throughout the song keeps the listener enticed and it’s a pleasure to listen to and it’s no wonder that it will be promoted as the second single from this album.
The first single, released on 28th August is the title track Something Lovely definitely lives up to its name. With strings and beautiful clear vocals, it’s a really sweet song. Starting off with minimal production and gaining strength throughout the song, some clever and slightly unusual changes in key and pace leave this a really interesting song to listen to. The increase in pace from 3 minutes to a really up-tempo outro is unexpected and appreciated.
One of the absolute stand out tracks from the album is Remembering. This is one of Campbell’s most downloaded songs and was originally released as a single back in 2015. Subsequently used on the soundtrack for I’ll Be Me, the documentary about Glen Campbell, this must resonate with everyone who has experience of loving someone with Alzheimers or Dementia. It oozes with the love she has written into it and is an absolute pleasure to listen to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ58YOgZi4M
Following in the footsteps of her father, Campbell is an extremely talented player of strings and the purely instrumental Moustache Man is testament to this. An unusual feature of a modern day album.
Digging Deep has been released as one of a selection of three songs from the album (along with Forever’s Not That Long and Good To Let Go). It carries a more moody, Americana vibe and brings the pace of the album back a little. Whilst it’s interestingly written and technically quite quirky, it isn’t the most gripping song on the record.
Suitcase Heart starts off with a really pretty intro with strings and percussion. Highlighting Ashley’s easy vocals and some delicate harmonies, it’s a lovely song which is sympathetically produced and a warm feel.
Walk On By and Alice pick up the lyrical journey from Suitcase Heart. Walk On By reignites the western feel first heard in If I Wasn’t with the prominent banjo playing and again, it’s very easy to listen to. Alice is a steadier song, pretty but unexciting.
The western waltz rhythm of Moonlight changes the pace again and it’s a well-positioned song, leading on nicely from the previous efforts. It’s a sadder song than some of the others on the album, but it’s intriguing with a key-change and a whistling outro. It highlights Ashley’s versatility and natural ability with clever writing.
Harking back to what one expects would have been a childhood favourite, Campbell offers a cover of the Beach Boy’s Good Vibrations. As with many covers, it is astonishing to hear the difference from the original track. With many layers to this track, it’s fascinating to hear such a well known song with such an alternative vibe. It’s a great cover and a really fun way to round off the album, leaving the listener with a smile on their face.
Overall, this is a very well written and produced album and will prove that Ashley Campbell is a talent in her own right, not simply running in the shadows of her famous father.
