13 April 2012 One Comment

A friend sent me an ep by this singer a couple of weeks ago and I was entranced. I worked with this singer’s dad a few years back in Wales; he led a church. Her uncle was the joint editors of ‘Mission Praise’.

I have always had a thing for singers who are Christians who don’t do the Christian scene but instead try to cut it in the marketplace. I am mindful of the words of T-Bone Burnett who said something like:  ‘Just because a bricklayer builds a wall and sprays the word ‘Christian’ on it, doesn’t make it any good.’ I have heard much music in that category that I do not find appealing (I heard of a recent attempt to get into the charts by a well known Christian artist; the motivation was excellent. Before I heard the song, I tried to imagine what it would sound like and the lyrics. Once I heard it; it was chillingly almost exactly how I imagined it….and I say that with a twinge of regret).

This, however, is strikingly good. I can hear echoes of other artists in there, but the music is her own. It is also lyrically elliptical; like the best music could be. She seems to only play live around North Wales; which is a pity- I would take friends to see her, solely because she is good, not because she has a faith. Listen and be amazed.

(ep available only from http://www.chloeleavers.com/)