Saturday 12 October 2013

A Flawed Beauty

Chasing Perpetua - EP


8/10


To be honest, I'm probably not the best person to be doing a review of husband & wife duo, Chasing Perpetua debut 4 track EP.. I've known Mark & Lynsey for a good few years...and count them as friends

....but here goes anyway....I'll be a honest as I can...

I can remember the first time I heard Chasing Perpetua, it was a video that just appeared on my Facebook timeline the song was Purple Coat, it blow me away i was totally taken in by the sound, in their performance especially Lynsey's & sound they reminded me of The Civil Wars they still do. And that's a good reference point for these songs... Purple Coat its still my favourite CP song, though sadly not on this EP but it was the start of a musical journey that has led to this, their debut release.

So to this release, I think the songs here showcase the Chasing Perpetua sound very well, a beautiful almost magical blend of harmonious vocals taking centre stage but driven along by some low key musical backing, for the most part a simple acoustic guitar accompanied by some strings courtesy of Mike Donaghy & Gill Adair, which although there do not overwhelm, they compliment. All beautifully captured on this EP recorded by Matt McIvor.

I think the two greatest weapons in the Chasing Perpetua armoury are the vocals, and their potential as songwriters.... Lynsey Hill, for me has one of the most beautiful, powerful female vocals I've heard in a long time, whether its those fragile, vulnerable, intimate moments like when she joins her husband Mark on the lead track, the Climb..which to be honest is not my favourite song, on first hearing it that particular moment sent shivers through me, it's sublime Then there's the soaring, reach for the sky vocal that are admirably controlled and evident in tracks like the already mentioned, The Climb & also in Conquering Heroes. The combination & harmonies these two bring to the table are at times Wonderful. For the most part their voices just seem so right together...
Also as fledgling songwriters these 4 tracks show some great lyrics that stir some  powerful images in my mind. If they pay attention to their craft I think we will benefit from many great songs from this pair in the future.

These are songs of longing, despair, life, love and hope.... having listened to the songs on this haunting EP many times I just keep thinking to myself this is beautiful...and that's not a word I often use to describe music.
Don't get me wrong it's not perfect, but to these ears it's a flawed beauty and sometime, just sometimes that we're the greatest beauty is found just below the surface...and in the imperfect..

See told you I probably wasn't the right person to review this...
But don't take my word for it..
Check it for yourself

Tracks
1. The Climb
2. Conquering Heroes
3. Be Still
4. Changing Tides

Mark Reid




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