ELLES BAILEY
Homegrown live favourite nails her difficult second album with aplomb
ROAD I CALL HOME
PLEDGE MUSIC
★★★★
Alex Berger
Elles Bailey’s music is all things to all people. Her rocking single, Medicine Man, is in Spotify’s ‘nu blues’ playlist, she can blow away an Americana audience at Black Deer Festival, and she’s collaborating with everyone from serial hit-maker Roger Cook to Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Her vocals are consistently crystal-clear as she cracks on through these 11 new tracks. Opening numbers Hell Or High Water and Wild Wild West are pure country with huge hooks, whereas Deeper is New Orleans funk, complete with big brass and organ swirls, and What’s The Matter With You is husky, late-night soul. You can imagine Chris Rea in his blues-soaked prime singing Help Somebody, and if you want an invitation to kick off your boots and join the dance, then Road I Call Home will be up your street, before Foolish Hearts slows the tempo right down to speak of love and regret. Piano ballad Light In The Distance makes a lovely closer. HMJ