Trollheart

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Artiste: Natalie Prass
Nationality: American
Album: Natalie Prass
Year: 2015
Label: Spacebomb Records
Genre: Hard to say really… I guess singer/songwriter kind of covers it. Kind of.
Tracks:
My baby don't understand me
Bird of prey
Your fool
Christy
Why don't you believe in me
Never over you
Reprise
It is you

Chronological position: Debut album
Familiarity: Zero
Interesting factoid:
Initial impression: Lovely voice, orchestral backing, smooth and aching...
Best track(s): Everything
Worst track(s): Nothing
Comments: I’ll be the first to admit, when I read this woman auditioned using her iphone I groaned, but you know, maybe it’s time for this old dog to accept that the world is different now, and perhaps not everyone who uses the new tech is necessarily a popstar wannabe. Certainly, from the opening track I hear a very mellifluous voice with keys, guitar and even violins, and not a sign of autotune, so that has to be good. Looking at the little information I have to hand, seems like she writes or co-writes all of her songs, so that’s another plus. Definitely not a pop diva then. Looks like she may be in this for the long haul.

Shades of a young Kate Bush or Beverly Craven here, and a lot of brass which is interesting. A very good start certainly. Nice to see also that she didn’t overload the album: there are only nine tracks here. “Bird of prey” is more uptempo, with some lovely clarinet and flute, recalling sixties and early seventies soft rock tunes, yet her voice holds court over everything, strong but not shouting as so many female vocalists seem to think is the way to go today. I definitely hear elements of songstresses of yesteryear such as Carole King and Carly Simon, who honed their craft over years and are still relevant and played today. A swinging bluesy roots song is “Your fool”, which dances along on a tapping piano line, backed by again beautiful orchestral sweeps. Very impressed so far.

I must say, I also like the slightly-cartoonified picture of her on the album sleeve, a clear indication that she is not trading on her looks but intends to prove her worth through her music, as should be the case. Substance very much over style. “Christy” is dreamy and dramatic all at once, even has some harp, while there’s a lovely slow strut to “Why don’t you believe in me”, and I just love the way the clarinet soars and dips, swoops and dives. There’s something so gloriously seventies about it. “Violently” is oddly enough a swaying ballad driven on piano and cello, with pedal steel and French horn. The vocal is so low-key that you just don’t expect it with a title like that, and yet she injects so much passion into it you can’t ignore it. Staying relaxed in a sort of Country style for “Never over you” with very Eagles-style backing vocals.

There’s a spoken vocal (mostly) with some incredible instrumental backing for “Reprise”, a rearranged version of “Your fool”, including some powerful trumpet (or is it trombone? Never too sure about that), flute and violin. Comes very close to being the best track. Fuck it. Is. Just an amazing track. Closing then on a truly sumptuously orchestral “It is you”, almost like something out of a musical. Breathtaking.

Overall impression: A new star is born?
Hum Factor: 8
Surprise Factor: 10
Intention: I’ll be watching her very closely. We need more artistes of this sort of calibre in music.

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