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Review
While it’s perfectly evident from any investigation of the charts today that commercial success doesn’t necessarily correlate with critical praise, there’s something to be said for knocking the pop juggernaut of Take That from the top of the pile, as Brighton-based singer Kate Walsh managed with her previous album, Tim’s House.
That was in 2007, and the chart in question was the iTunes one – Walsh had benefited from being featured as the downloads-provider’s single of the week, but no artist gets to number one on the back of a few free tracks. Her fans responded to the album amazingly, and as such expectations in the ranks are high for this third long-player, featuring guest turns from Turin Brakes and The Longpigs’ Crispin Hunt.
Mining the same harmonies that served her past albums well, Walsh’s MO might not have changed but her ambition to weave densely-packed compositions is beginning to achieve fruition. There are delightful layers to a handful of these arrangements, suggesting their writer is capable of delivering a much bigger sound than many modern folk contemporaries. That said, instrumental detail never obscures the straightforward vocals, ostensibly centred on matters of the heart and rarely straying from a lulling coo stylistically. Truth be told, across a full album Walsh’s vocals can be a little too saccharine.
But simple-of-message songs like Be Mine (self-explanatory, surely) and June Last Year’s expressing of longing for a would-be beau oblivious to our protagonist’s affections have a certain charm about them – by never over-complicating her narratives, Walsh paints a relatively pleasing picture of modern romance, with hardly a wart to be seen. Hurt is expressed via easily understood analogies that distance the reality from the record, and as a result there’s little wallowing in self-pity; this despite potentially cutting lines like “You’re that part of me that can sting like 1,000 bees”.
While her chart success might suggest Walsh is a pop star in waiting, Light & Dark isn’t finely tuned to the trends of today. It’s an album out of step with fashion, full of its maker’s folk influences and idiosyncrasies so slight that truly standing out from the crowd is unlikely. But it’s perfectly pleasant fare for the undemanding listener, and several leagues ahead of the Melua-factory female artists still active in the UK. --Mike Diver
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Product Description
KATE WALSH Light & Dark (2009 UK 12-track CD album - Kate Walsh returns to follow up 2007s Tims House. Produced once more by Tim Bidwell but with a budget surpassing the ?500 spent last time out Kate has been able to expand her sound whilststill keeping her trademark vocal style and introspective view of modern love and loss intact. Joined on the record by Turin Brakes who guest on two songs and also long-time idol Crispin Hunt [formerly of the Longpigs] who sings backing vocals on On The Stage Light & Dark has a distinctly more up-beat feel to it. Includes the single June Last Year and its 1000 Bees)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I only heard a snip of her music the other day on the radio and wanted more. Kate Walsh was a new artiste to me and I am really pleased to have found her. You can clearly hear every note of her guitar and the melodic tone of her lovely voice is beautiful to listen to. Kate Walsh wrote all the songs on this cd and you can imagine how much of herself she has planted in the words and music. 'As He Pleases' is a modern ballad, sweetly sung and the sadly poetic words are a touching story of good love against bad. 'Trying' swings along gently and is a pleasure to hear. 'June Last Year' has a haunting echoing tuneful tone, faster in pace with terrific banjo. "Greatest Love" features perfect guitar picking out the melody and Kate's clear sweet voice whispers wistfully about a real life situation - career and too much work taking over from loving - so true. The namesake of this cd "Light and Dark" isn't really my favourite, it is more meandering and less tuneful, with very differing moods. Appropriate for it's name of course. "Seafarer" is lovely to my ears, rocking wave like rhythm and ringing guitar. "Be Mine" is a stronger song with a louder backing and positive happy words. "1000 Bees" is lively and rocking. On this the Wurlitzer makes for a more powerful busy backing. "On the Stage" is quieter, with percussion, more of a hymn really with poignant, bittersweet, sad words. "I Cling On For Dear Life" rings out as a slow sorry tale of lost love, with gorgeous words. "Old Man" is angry and vengeful, the strings contributing different, important backing. "Gather My Strength" is a passionate last track, with oretty harp, light in texture this is delightful, soft and sweet. Hang on in there my love, sit tight my love..
All in all this cd hangs well together and each song flows on comfortably from the other. A great background sound for working to or more mood altering if listened to carefully. I also like Emiliana Torrini, [ASIN:B0002JEP6O Fisherman's Woman] Katie Melua, Norah Jones, Kate Bush if that gives a clue to my tastes! Lots of Kates (and I am called Kate too)
All in all this cd hangs well together and each song flows on comfortably from the other. A great background sound for working to or more mood altering if listened to carefully. I also like Emiliana Torrini, [ASIN:B0002JEP6O Fisherman's Woman] Katie Melua, Norah Jones, Kate Bush if that gives a clue to my tastes! Lots of Kates (and I am called Kate too)
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By MacDaz
Format:Audio CD
Kate Walsh has a beautiful voice. There can be no doubt about that. I bought Tim's House on the strength of hearing one song and was not disappointed. I bought this without hearing a single song, to my mind there was no risk. I was mostly right. This album clearly continues where Tim's House left off. The vocals are wonderfully delicate but never brittle, like a silk thread there is a strength that belies the superficial weakness, and that is just the sound. When you listen to the lyrics there is a beautifully disguised depth to each song.
BUT... in an effort to move on there is a tendency to slip toward over production on a few of the songs. Sometimes less is definitely more and the bells, whistles and the infernal slide guitar unnecessarily taint that beautiful voice. Sometimes the trick is knowing when to stop and in an effort not to just make the same album again I think, production-wise, this album occasionally strays too far. There are many simple, acoustic, engaging songs that will enchant you in the same way as Tim's House, but every now and again there is a rude awakening, a drunk at the ballet, that shatters the peace and briefly spoils the show. The Country and Western twang of June last year is an incongruous smack in the face that grates against the nerves and stands awkwardly between the songs either side. It upsets me every time I hear it.
Still, don't be put off this is still a wonderful four star album and you can't knock an artist for trying something new. I'd recommend the album, without a doubt, but Kate, if you're reading, please stay away from Nashville next time.
BUT... in an effort to move on there is a tendency to slip toward over production on a few of the songs. Sometimes less is definitely more and the bells, whistles and the infernal slide guitar unnecessarily taint that beautiful voice. Sometimes the trick is knowing when to stop and in an effort not to just make the same album again I think, production-wise, this album occasionally strays too far. There are many simple, acoustic, engaging songs that will enchant you in the same way as Tim's House, but every now and again there is a rude awakening, a drunk at the ballet, that shatters the peace and briefly spoils the show. The Country and Western twang of June last year is an incongruous smack in the face that grates against the nerves and stands awkwardly between the songs either side. It upsets me every time I hear it.
Still, don't be put off this is still a wonderful four star album and you can't knock an artist for trying something new. I'd recommend the album, without a doubt, but Kate, if you're reading, please stay away from Nashville next time.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Polymath
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
It's good to have an 'EP' of three of these new songs which revert to Kate and her distinctive guitar alone: Seafarer; On the Stage; and, Greatest Love. That's not to imply anything negative about Tim Bidwell's production which sensitively extends the range of accompanying instruments and textures here which were a key enhancement on the previous album, not insignificantly entitled Tim's House. These simple versions also confirm the continuing strength of Kate's song-writing.
The strongest songs here are those with a smoldering emotional core. The title song, Light and Dark, is a rich exhallation of regret and compressed loathing: 'I left you for another man / And he doesn't deserve me.' The intimacy of the subject matter is reflected in the close to mic recording of Kate's distinctively brittle, but always perfectly executed vocals.
So, this collection is basically Tim's House 2. But given the challenge faced by singer song-writers to hold their particular take on the world amidst the pressures of touring and 'the music business', the girl done great! The big question is, where next? Meanwhile, quietly enjoy ...
The strongest songs here are those with a smoldering emotional core. The title song, Light and Dark, is a rich exhallation of regret and compressed loathing: 'I left you for another man / And he doesn't deserve me.' The intimacy of the subject matter is reflected in the close to mic recording of Kate's distinctively brittle, but always perfectly executed vocals.
So, this collection is basically Tim's House 2. But given the challenge faced by singer song-writers to hold their particular take on the world amidst the pressures of touring and 'the music business', the girl done great! The big question is, where next? Meanwhile, quietly enjoy ...
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5.0 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kate keeps my ears between the light and the dark
Kate Walsh is a touch of something special in my music collection. I have other acoustic artists in my itunes but I don't think anyone is quite as heartfelt in their singing as... Read more
Published on 15 May 2011 by Penguin reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful third album.
After the very good Clocktower Park, and even better Tim's House, I was a tad worried about how this third album would turn out. I shouldn't have worried! Read more
Published on 12 Oct 2010 by J. Cook
3.0 out of 5 stars
Decent
Very pleasant album full of winsome songs.It's been done many times before but it's nice to chill out to,Production values need a bit of improvement and songwriting might need to... Read more
Published on 9 Sep 2010 by D. Glowacki
4.0 out of 5 stars
Simply Magical
OK let's forget 'Tim's House' for a moment.
It was a very, very good first outing but
Kate Walsh's second showing should get a big
thumbs up all to itself. Read more
It was a very, very good first outing but
Kate Walsh's second showing should get a big
thumbs up all to itself. Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2009 by The Wolf
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