Album Review
Sarah Jane Morris – The Sisterhood
Sarah Jane Morris is perhaps best known for her work with The Communards in the 1980s, where her vocal combination with Jimmy Somerville was the heart of hits like Don’t Leave Me This Way. But Morris has also released fifteen solo albums across jazz, blues and even opera, showing her versatility as both a singer and songwriter.
The Sisterhood is a new project celebrating ten female singers who have inspired Sarah Jame Morris, and it’s being released on International Women’s Day. The concept has been on her mind for a long time and the songs were largely written during lockdown. And she does the great names she celebrates proud, with a fine set of vocal performances that show both her great vocal range and control to good effect.
The album’s title track Sisterhood evokes Aretha Franklyn’s funk while Couldn’t Be Without tells Bessie Smith’s story in a horn based blues epic. The soulful So Much Love evokes the defiance of Nina Simone as she stood up against racism.
Tomorrow Never Happens is a beautifully tender tribute to Janis Joplin’s life and work, describing her as the shooting star who fused blues and rock. Sing Me A Picture, a gentle tribute to Joni Mitchell and For The Voiceless, a lovely pop song telling of Annie Lennox’s roots in Aberdeen, are also fine tracks.
The Sisterhood is both a fitting tribute to some of the greatest female voices and a fine album in its own right. The ten tracks are well crafted and varied, each taking something from the musical style of its subject. It’s an excellent introduction to the variety and quality of Sarah Jane Morris’ work.
Label: Fallen Angel
Release date: 8 March 2024