Toni Sidgwick Lions E.P
"Lions" begins with the single "Carry My Heart" which I recently reviewed and is still one of my fave tracks on this 5 Track E.P. There's no doubting Toni has one of those unique voices, whether it sits in front of a whole kit and caboodle of instruments or at the side of somebody sitting on a desk popping bubble wrap there's going to be no mistaking its her vocal, and as the twanging guitar intro of second track "Only One Way" kicks in, it's also evident that it has producer Lauren Deacon Davis's stamp smacked right the way through the E.P, far from being a bad thing, Lauren's forte is showcasing her clients talent in all its raw, honest and earthy glory without the use of auto-tune or overload of effects that often saturate many tracks today. Welcome to real music.
With Third track "Dance" I felt my shoulders drop with a tad of disappointment at the seemingly moon & june style lyrics but the song reprieved itself with the introduction of a harmonica, there is also a beautiful section in the middle where instruments drop to a minimum leaving Toni out there on her own vulnerable but still ballsy best and by the end of the track I was won over.
Fourth track "Lions" is a worthy stand out track that grows and changes as it moves along keeping the listener wondering what's coming next, and as it marches towards the end it almost has an anthem type vibe.
The final track "Be Anything" begins with that gorgeous vocal and i'm already sold, & like track four it weaves in and out with musical surprises so you never quite know what treat your ears are going to be dealt.
So overall, is the E.P worth a purchase? too damn right, its a fine debut from an equally fine artist and one she should be proud of. Try and catch her live if you can & where you'll also be able to purchase a physical copy of the E.P . Digital download will be available on ITunes, Spotify and other, be sure to follow her journey : Website, Facebook & Twitter
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Til Next Time, Stay Blessed
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