Album Review

Wallis Bird – Wallis Bird

• 9th Mar 2012

The self titled third album from Irish singer Wallis Bird demonstrates that she has a voice that can sing pop songs with the best of them, but is also capable of so much more. There are delicate folk tinged ballads and more passionate tracks here too, but there is somehow a sense that even this does not show the full range of talents that Bird possesses.

This album was recorded in three very different places, a radio station in Berlin, a supposedly haunted house in rural Ireland and a flat in Brixton, and perhaps that variety of settings is reflected in its varied music.

Wallis Bird’s unique guitar style adds to the sheer individuality of her music. After a childhood accident with a lawnmower resulted in her losing the fingers of her dominant left hand, four were sewn back on. But she taught herself to play an upside down guitar using her own chords. So if you see her live, don’t try to work out what she is playing – it can’t be done.

The album opens with Dress My Skin And Become What I’m Supposed To, a slow folk track that opens by telling the listener that “You don’t know shit”. Well, that’s either sheer bravado or the sign of a woman who does things entirely her way. Either way there is a beauty to the perfectly enunciated vocals.

I Am So Tired Of That Line brings the tempo up, its mix of cynicism and anger at the state of a relationship giving it an energy and purpose. The power of Bird’s voice takes the song to a new level, a rich deep tone that is expressive and assertive as she looks to move on.

Encore is the first single from the album, a nicely crafted pop song with clear chart potential. The lyrics are fairly simple and the repeated refrain of “Come back, oh come back” is one of those phrases that you find yourself singing hours later. Musically there is a lot going on throughout the track but the clear vocal cuts through with ease.

Next up is Take Me Home, a ballad with breathy vocals and a frantic finale of howls and screams as “I’m almost there” is repeated over them. This is perhaps one of the weaker tracks on the album.

In Dictum starts slowly, with delicate guitar picking backing a pure folk voice. It also has bursts of intensity and a chorus that demonstrates the passion of Bird’s vocals as she lets her voice soar, effortlessly reaching a whole new level. And in Ghosts Of Memories she also shows a more expansive side as a powerful voice takes over to show defiance as she battles with visions of the past. This pair of songs at the heart of the album come closest to showing the heights that Bird is capable of reaching.

Heartbeating City is a two minute upbeat pop song, pleasant enough in its way, while Who’s Listening Now is a little repetitive. Much stronger is But I’m Still Here, I’m Still Here, a lovely folk song with a real world-weary sadness evident in both the lyrics and the delivery. And while Feathered Pocket has a fairly basic folk feel there is also a delicacy to the sound that works well.

Polarised closes the album, eight minutes long with high pitched vocals alternating between some strange sound effects. It’s raw and dark, yet also strangely inspiring. And, after a thirty second gap, a rather odd final phase of piano, bells, xylophone and more sound effects takes over. The excellent booklet that comes with the album calls it Ghost Track, which is a pretty good description.

The market for female singer songwriters is currently a crowded one, but Wallis Bird has the talent and the individuality to stake out a strong claim for a piece of the action. This album showcases her individualistic style nicely and demonstrates both the range of material she has and the abilities to perform it that she possesses.