This new heavily plugged in sound has seen Amelia lose none of her acute song writing acumen, as epitomised in the Juno award that she received for the HUNTER HUNTER album. There is so much compassionate strength in this album which has been released on the Six Shooter Records label and succeeds in keeping you hooked for the duration of its eleven tracks.
While it is the album’s intention for the listener to buy
into the message, this is easily a record that you can kick back and simply
just enjoy for all of its musical nuances. For instance ‘Gravity’ is a short-barely two and a half minute song which sizzles
with a rising tone, in tune with the title alongside an initial bass line hook
plus added brass towards the end. In essence this is a record which sets its
stall out in the first four tracks to go a long way towards defining the
record. Opening number ‘Move a Mile’
sends shivers down the listening wires, while title piece ‘Watershed’ shimmers with jangly parts and melody changes. ‘Sunday Bride’ completes the opening
quartet containing a sensational solo part which raises the stakes.
Later in the record, an acoustic sound more familiar with
Amelia’s past blossoms on an ‘Act of
Human Kindness’. You can even detect a touch of gospel in ‘No More Quiet’ especially with the vocal
content at the end coupled with the added brass. At this point the album’s
message is getting drummed in. This reaches a crescendo with the penultimate
track as Amelia uses the powerful ‘Every
Woman Every Man’ to reach out to all in an inclusive manner. If the start
was sparked into life by a level of unprecedented intensity, the end is a
little more tempered with ‘You Have Got
Each Other’ seeing Amelia in lo-fi reflective mode. However at this point,
it is job done.
This has been a brave and impassioned project by Amelia
Curran who has used an accentuated vocal style with an electrified backdrop to
pack a punch. A full on sound is inspiringly soulful in places and this is
definitely a plugged-in record which hits you hard.
WATERSHED acts out as its name in so many ways
and a substantive fabric gives it a chance of achieving every aim, including
making the end of year award givers sit up and notice. The most acclaimed personal
accolade is that this album is unlikely to be removed from the 2017 playlist, buoyed
by a mid-summer visit to the UK to promote the record.
More info on Amelia’s campaign can be found at her website.
www.ameliacurran.com
UK and Ireland Tour Dates
June 21 The Musician Leicester
June 22 The Poppy and the Pint Nottingham
June 23 The DC Music Club Dublin
June 24 Monroe's Live Galway
June 26 Green Note London
June 27 The Back Room Cottingham East Yorkshire
June 28 The Greystones Sheffield
July 1 Maverick Festival Easton Suffolk
July 3 The Sound Lounge Tooting London
