Elly Roberts reviews
Sarah Sharp: Fourth Person
Distributed by
Shellshock
- Released: March 2005
- Rating: 8/10
Deep in the heart of Texas, there's a real buzz going on. The lady at the centre of it all is Sarah Sharp.
Debut albums have a propensity of being hit and miss affairs. Not this one.
Following a huge effort on the road, American singer-songwriter Sarah Sharp finally
commits her finely honed songwriting skills on Fourth Person.
The attractive blonde Texan has been creating waves for some time now, with
regular stints on radio and venues in her native state. She is also due to
embark on an East-Coast tour.
Nearly two years ago she gigged in southern England and Wrexham north Wales.
Her significant other - Buffalo Speedway (a native of Wrexham) has considerable
musical input on this meticulously produced twelve-tracker. She’s been getting
rave reviews in the States and is about to unleash her considerable musical
talents in March, followed by UK touring in April.
This ‘time-capsule’ serves to consolidate her credentials as a bone fide
contemporary Americana artist. Along with Speedway, she has the benefit of
one-man-band Kevin Ryan (drums, bass, mellotron and various “sonic hi-jinx”)
as they collectively scale the endless possibilities of 21st Century eclectic
balladeering.
Sarah’s vocals are sharp but delicate; perfectly complementing the imaginative
lyrical scenarios. From the sensually teasing opener, Time Capsule, we
get an indication of her range. With songs tackling deceit (Run),
heartache (Can’t We Just Love), loneliness (Surrender) and
flirting - there’s plenty of meat on the bone.
Fourth Person will thrill her indigenous fanbase, with the international
domino effect coming later. The ‘instant’ hit,which radio stations (particularly
in the UK – e.g. Johnnie Walker show) are seeking out, comes in the form of
final track - Blame It On The Night. This swaying jazzy ditty would
open the door to the often fractured nature of the UK singles market, leading
to further artist scrutiny.
Not the most instant of albums; it definitely grows on you with time. The more
you listen, the more you discover the polyphonic delights.
Sharp’s recent credits include: Nomination for indieacoustic.com best album of
2004, Austin Chronicle (Texas) - reviewers’ picks as one of the Top Ten Texas
albums of 2004.
A very impressive debut; full of charm and character.
The full list of tracks included are :
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
