Sylvie Lewis is an engaging artist, and this is her first album in 10 years. Since the last one, she has moved from Italy to the UK, had a child, survived the pandemic and lost her long time friend and producer Richard Swift.
This is a collection of songs that veer between the personal, the imagined and the collaborative. She has a delightful voice, quite sweet but also expressive, and her music tends to be in that Americana catchall – sometimes country, a bit of swing and even some jazz touches. At times she has a bit of Joan Armatrading in her sound and at others Linda Lewis and elsewhere a bit of Ricky Lee Jones.
It’s an album that grows on you. First time through, I was struck by the lightness of the album – kudos to producer Jonah Tolchin & Joe Harvey Whyte – and on subsequent listens I heard more depth, especially in the subject matters, and became engaged in the individual songs.
The album opens with the lovely ‘Call Me When It Rains (Mikes Song)’ is about a close friend – Mike – who she always called as the storm rolled in. Some fine trumpet courtesy of Jesse Neumann.
I especially liked ‘Ordinary’ – just voice and guitar but a perfect example of her sound.
There isn’t anything on the album that I found weak or jarring. My first thought was that it was a bit saccharine sweet but now, just natural honey. A super album for cold days.
