Pour a drink of your preferred tipple, sit back in your favourite chair and close your eyes to blank out any thoughts flickering like a dying ember. Now you are in the right zone to devote forty minutes of your personalised listening time to the gorgeous new album from Claudia Combs Carty. PHASES is one of those records that pops up from left field and manages to inject the pulse with a flick of a switch. It is a simple operation of magically blending a sultry voice, mainly piano and songs bursting with sedate emotion. Letting this album run its course through your senses is akin to giving yourself some 'me' time.
Claudia Combs Carty is a San Francisco-based singer-songwriter and pianist. PHASES is her debut album, but the songs have been knocking around on the streaming sites for a while including the sensational simmering opener 'Silent Whispers'. A further four of the nine tracks have found their way out officially, but the true and ultimate experience is slipping on the entire album and soaking every ounce of grandeur easing out of the music in a seamless format.
Occasionally, albums where there is a hair breadth between tracks in terms of sound can be deemed dull and repetitive. This is not the case here as it's all about finding that special groove and riding the smooth wave that ensues. Also a running time of thirty seven minutes optimises the experience ejecting at the right moment.
While the sound is straight out of Laurel Canyon and a worthy 2021 expansion of Blue and Tapesty, the Barcelona birth and Boston raising also likely adds to the mix such is the richness that emanates from Carty's dark and tender vocals. Each track is primarily led by piano, but a faint insertion of guitar and occasional backing vocal gives the album a deeper texture without detracting from a Claudia Combs Carty vocal masterclass.
On the task front, the search for the first among equals is a tough ask especially when Carty hits the formula groove from the off and refuses to budge. Pushed to pin a couple to define the record, the melting chorus of 'All That' and the sadness drenched pleading song 'Don't Blame Me' are worthy nominees.
From a theme perspective there are subtle detections of hope flickering in album closer 'You Make Me Wanna Stay', the ethereal 'Bridge Over Seas' and the suggestive freedom song 'Can't Wait Not To Love You' . However the general mood is one of sadness and regret as strongly exemplified in 'Every Single Time'.
While as previously referred to, the piano of Claudia Combs Carry rules the airwaves, there are a couple of tender guitar interludes, most notably in the intro for 'Sing to Me' and the penultimate track 'South'. The latter really seals the deal of Carty burying deep into her songs to the extent of breathing their very existence.
PHASES is really one of those albums hand crafted for moments when sad songs press the button of artistic marvel. The gorgeous dark and sultry voice of Claudia Combs Carty owns every inch of the canvas and carves a debut record rich in a single track groove to beguile a smitten listener.
