Album Review

Laura Catlow – Skin And Bone

• 19th Oct 2009

Building on from May’s debut single ‘Gorgeous’, former Blackpool fairground attraction, Laura Catlow unleashes three more tracks that build from a spindling acoustic base and accentuate her streetwise and very slightly western vocal slant.

‘Skin And Bone’, has an urban edge to the vocals and speaks of weariness from life and love;

“Cos a heart’s too heavy when it’s made of
stone, so she keeps it on her sleeve
And carries it around in case she visual
needs a visual prop for a tale
Of all the men who’ve done her wrong.”

A calmer shanty styled opening to ‘Your Opinion Of Me’, instils a dawdling touch. The vocals are a little more forlorn and self-pitying, as Catlow uses a stirring echo to leave a lasting impression. The song would make a perfect accompaniment to any modern version of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’.

A blues toe lends ‘Horror Show’, a haunting slowness whilst the soul-searching is striking and sincere. An acoustic throb picks up in momentum when the reflection builds up to pitying point. This Blackpool songstress could grow to be the rock of alt-folk (come on, you gotta allow one cheap play on words?).