V V Brown: Travelling Like the Light
V V Brown is Travelling Like the Light on her debut
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Friday, 10, Jul 2009 11:04
Island Records, out July 13th.
In a nutshell...
Infectious, Soul, 50s, Fun, Motown
What's it all about?
Travelling like the Light the twelve track debut album from V V Brown the singer/songwriter/producer tipped for big things this year. The album includes Shark in the Water, Leave and Crying Blood.
Who's it by?
Born in Northampton V V Brown first shot onto the scene when she had an upfront slot on Later... with Jools Holland, a performance which won her various admirers including Damon Albarn.
Brown had a previous shot at fame as a straight-up soul singer, singing backing vocals for Madonna, Westlife and the Pussycat Dolls, and signed a major record deal - but that fell through.
As well as writing and producing music Brown is also a model, having been signed to Select model agency after a chance meeting on a transatlantic flight.
As an example...
"Baby, there's a shark in the water/There's something underneath my bed/Oh, please believe I said/Baby, there's a shark in the water/I caught them barking at the moon/Better be soon." - Shark in the Water
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
V V Brown has already made it into the top tenof the BBC Sound poll and is a darling of the music scene - she's even had a slot on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury - so she's likely to be getting a fair few awards in the future.
What the others say
"A one-woman sound-clashing whirlwind." -NME
"A perfect pop cocktail" - Sun
So is it any good?
Travelling like the Light is an infectious catchy, unashamedly pop record. With the sounds of 50s soul and doo-wop infusing every track, it's fun and easy to listen to.
The summery Shark in the Water and the Monster Mash-echoing Crying Blood are upbeat and cheery with a jive feel to them while Quick Fix is more Motown in its style.
What makes this album is Brown's voice which has all the power and excellence of her soul and Motown predecessors. Her personality really shines through in this album making it an entertaining listen.
There's a mishmash of styles on display, but it works; this isn't an album of run of the mill R n'n' B hits but a different, upbeat and appealing effort.
V V Brown certainly has potential to do great things and Travelling like the Light is a good appetizer for her future work. Expect many a rolled quiff to make an appearance on the high street as people try to copy Brown's style.
8/10
Samantha Cullen