Rating: 5/5
Review:
A fine album
I have somehow contrived to miss Megan Henwood's music until
now and I took a bit of a punt on River having heard good things about her. I wasn't sure what to expect but I'm
impressed.
This is an album of melodic songs with both musical and
lyrical intelligence. They are very well
produced so the overall sound is just great and Henwood's vocal performance is
terrific, I think. She sounds at times a
little like Martha Tilston with echoes of Thea Gilmore and – especially in The
Dolly, her love song to Oxford – of
Janis Ian. She deserves comparison with
these excellent singers, but she's unmistakeably her own woman with her own
sound and her own message.
Just as a little example of Henwood's lyrical ability, I
think this, from Apples, makes a telling comment rather beautifully:
"She wipes her tears with her sleeves
Where her heart used to be
For she's swallowed the keys
With her medicine."
River is a fine, thoughtful and very enjoyable album with a
good, varied selection of material. Even
at a time when we exceptionally blessed with so many very fine female singer-songwriters,
I think it stands with some of the best of recent albums. Warmly recommended.
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