Play 90 second soundbite of 'In Reverse' @ 'CD quality'
Cherry takes the indie form by the scruff of the neck and re-shapes and re-models it by injecting copious amounts of pop sensibility to provide a soft, luxurious coat and sufficient rock aggression to retain a solid raunchy underbelly. And the 'beast' is born; 'Heart Like A Lion' is a gloriously effective nu-take on what can be a tired old formula. Cherry pushes hard at the envelope and contrives to deliver an eclectic sounding pop-rock album rammed with character, poise and undeniable strength. First and foremost Cherry is a guitar wielding popster but here she also shows formidable aptitude on keyboards and that all-round instrumental musicality allows her to express herself and flavour her songs with great and varied sentimentality and poignancy.
Cherry hasn't been drawn into over-embellishment either; there's a distinct openness about this work; instrumental scarcity offers her songs space to breath. Oh there's plenty going on alright but, less is indeed more in the case of 'Heart Like A Lion'! Cherry's easy but evocative vocal delivery puts me in mind of, at times Suzanne Vega, at others Edie Brickell but, it's much more than that, Cherry is very much her own musician and generates a sound and feel that's distinctive and very very likeable. Cherry sings like she lives in her songs, there's believability and tangibility within every song as she slicks out her words with consummate ease but adds a certain ballsy aggression to the mix with the result that she rams her songs home and gets inside yer head.
'Heart Like A Lion' by Ellen Cherry is beautifully proportioned and sensitively handled; Cherry clearly aims to get her listeners into the heart of her songs and the uncluttered mix allows that access and it doesn't take long to lose your way and find yourself completely sucked into her scarily diverse but highly commercial way. 'Heart Like A Lion' by Ellen Cherry is t'riffic piece of work; it's inventive yet relevant and, with plenty of hooky character, it's a real grower and a worker. 'Heart Like A Lion' by Ellen Cherry is all indie music can be and should be, Cherry's put the zest and the verve back into the genre, she's breathed new life into the form and this album deserves commercial success and possibly rock'n'roll infamy (in the nicest possible way!) too! 'Heart Like A Lion' by Ellen Cherry is every bit as good as anything currently out there - Ellen Cherry clearly has the extra 'edge' and that special 'something' to raise her to a much higher level - 'Heart Like A Lion' could just be the carriage that transports her to better and bigger places - not just the heart like a lion but also strength, sheer guts and stealth of a lion - I love it!!
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