Heavenly Recordings bring us the new album from Katy J Pearson, Return. Over the course of two-and-a-half years, between her parents’ house in Gloucestershire, her Bristol bedroom, and nearby community arts space, Pearson honed her craft as a solo artist, learning to rely on her creative instincts and bringing forth an album just as shaped by the South-West of England as the rich musical history of America’s Southern States...

Return delivers ten songs (40 min, 38 sec) which slide effortlessly between lovelorn country, lo-fi folk and glistening pop. This is both its strong and weak point, depending very much on your point of view. The diversity of tunes either makes this a watered down, hard to pigeonhole release, or a glorious celebration of genres that have inspired Katy J Pearson.

On balance I enjoyed the album, but it didn't really shake my world. It's a little too similar to a million other albums with very little on offer to make it an essential purchase.

5

Nick Smithson