Louise Clare Marshall releases her new album, Beautiful through Loula Records. Marshall is a powerful singer who has navigated the music industry for over 26 years. She has enjoyed working with a plethora of established musicians and has been a band member of Jools Holland Rhythm and Blues Orchestra for the past 7 years. She has just returned from a 3 week tour collaborating with David Gilmour on the 'Rattle That Lock' north american tour (April 2016) and shall continue working with him on the UK leg of the tour...

Louise Clare Marshall certainly has a wide vocal range - the songs on Beautiful appear to have been partly chosen to show every facet of her talents off to there full potential.

The album contains 14 songs (49 min, 26 sec) that are mainly Jazz/Soul/Blues tracks. But even some of the genres that I usually shy away from are handled with such delicacy that it's hard not to get swept up in the moment. I'm no fan of Scat singing, but 'Scat-Ability' is delivered so beautifully that I instantly warmed to it.

Likewise, I thought a Jazz approach to 'Chain Reaction' sounded a bad idea on paper, but it works incredibly well. Marshall takes the song and owns it.

For me, tracks that will keep me coming back include 'Feels Like I'm in Love' (easily this album's highpoint); 'Beautiful'; and 'You Are The One'. However, this is an album that works best the way it's presented. Listened all the way through this is a wonderfully diverse collection of songs.

And to illustrate how she doesn't take herself too seriously, the album's final track sees a very young Marshall performing 'All Things Bright and Beautiful'.

This is a timeless album of wonderful songs, performed beautifully by Marshall.

10

Nick Smithson