Bible Belt [CD]

I've played this back-to-back many times & it just gets better, several tracks aleady seem like soul standards. Great voice & backing band, Diane Birch seems imbued in the heritage, the only critcism might be she's so soaked it in it, it's almost formulaic, but just about teeters on the right side with her personality winning over. Go and get it - a genuine mood enhancer

Diane Birch wrote a fair bit of Bible Belt (great name) in London, but it earned its release in America in 2009, a whole year before it's British release. This is perhaps because gospel-inspired soul is more popular in the US than here. But if you're willing to look beyond the genre, this album is well worth getting hold of.

Birch's father travelled the world as a preacher, and she apparently had limited access to popular music until she was a teenager, but learned the piano from the age of seven. She is a mean pianist, playing acoustic and Rhodes electric pianos. Her singing is individual and confident, with a wide rich register. The band is laid-back and supportive, with an average age rather higher than Birch's youthful 27. Lenny Kaye is one of the guitarists, and there's a small orchestra on a couple of tracks too.

Some of the tracks sound a little middle-of-the-roady, but they all have something to make them special. The first half of Photograph, for example, is a rather staid waltz-time track, but then it bursts into a spectacular Hey-Jude-style jam with a gospel chorus, strings and a horn section. The muted trumpet on the hook to the track Rewind is another masterstroke - simple, but effective, and the lyric is powerful too. Birch's lyrics have mainly secular themes, but draw heavily on gospel styles. Birch performed Valentino on Later... with Jools Holland on BBC TV, which is a reasonable endorsement in itself.

Diane Birch has a compelling voice, songs that are catchy and while still fitting into a gospel/soul/bluesy genre, still have enough originality to keep me pressing replay.

Goodness gracious me! It's very hard to believe that 'Bible Belt' is a
debut album. Diane Birch exudes a confident, classy style which would
be rare in any artist with many more years experience under their belt.

Ms Birch can sing the blues. She can do gospel too. Did I mention soul?!
The album is a sassy collection of thirteen tracks which demonstrate her
innate ability to pin down the essence of a good tune with easy aplomb.

There is a wonderfully limber and expressive voice and mind at work in
this music, well served by Steve Greenberg and Betty Wright's consummate
production skills. The arrangements and orchestrations are all top notch!

Old beyond her years, time and again Ms Birch delivers vocal performances
of stunning skill, ingenuity and emotional conviction.
Opening track 'Fire Escape' could have been recorded at almost any point
during the past four decades and found favour with lovers of fine music.
It is a slow blues number, delivered with raw and unaffected emotion.
The Hammond organ, warmly poised brass and delicious backing vocals
provide the framework within which Ms Birch is able to show off the full
range of her vocal powers. Her focus never slips or blurs for a moment.

The spirit of 'Tapestry'-era Carole King is alive and well in the cracking
composition 'Fools'; another skillfully crafted melody which punches way
above its weight, leaving sweet memories in its wake.

'Nothing but A Miracle' demonstrates song writing of the very highest
calibre and quality. The late, great Laura Nyro came to mind for a moment
(a measure of just how good it is!) but Ms Birch is certainly not content to
walk in anybody's shadow. She wears her influences lightly and with love!

'Forgiveness' is a benign spiritual for godless times. A terrifically powerful
vocal performance lifted high into the clouds by a magnificently fruity
brass arrangement and glorious gospel harmonies. Pure heaven!!

Final track 'Magic View' is an understated and deeply moving gem of a
song in which Ms Birch gives us her very best work.
(Her fearless top notes are a joy to hear!) The quietly incandescent string
arrangement helps carry the arrangement to its sublime conclusion.

I heard her songs. I saw her face. Now I'm a believer!

Essential.