2014 RETROSPECTIVE - DAY 2

WOMAN'S HOUR - CONVERSATIONS

One of the most striking moments of Conversations, the debut from Kendal quartet Woman's Hour, comes in the middle of 'Darkest Place'; Fiona Burgess' voice sounds almost too close as she sings of a lost love: "wherever I look you're always there/I close my eyes and it's even worse/you hang around on the clothes I wear/and I can't even tell you how much it hurts". There are no lyrical flourishes here, no metaphor or allegory. The simplicity and starkness of these lines are beyond devastating. 

This is not an isolated incident. Conversations constantly brings forth the lump in the throat, battled back day after day, and puts a soothing hand on your back as you let it all out. From start to finish, this is a hugely cathartic record; the listener is gifted a seemingly endless sonic expanse but, like when the mind becomes clear, only then do you realise that you are forced to confront the nothingness and all that comes with it. Nicholas Graves' sparse keys open up the space, while the guitar work of Will Burgess skirts around the vocals, sometimes approaching, sometimes hanging back. 

For me, this record shows that catharsis begets catharsis; it comes so close to speaking to the most primal pain in us that it inspires the listener to pick up the baton and continue the quest of wrestling that bittersweet feeling into a creative capsule. Conversations is perhaps the most unashamedly personal album I've heard this year and because of this I am continually enamoured by it. 

Some Summer Listening

As the famous British Summer both drowns us and burns us to a crisp, here are some suitably atmospheric albums to soothe a sunburnt head.

Hundred Waters - The Moon Rang Like A Bell

Following on from their eponymous debut record, Hundred Waters are carrying on the good work with The Moon Rang Like A Bell. This is a restless record, constantly lulling you into a false sense of security in its quieter moments before expanding exponentially. 

Glass Animals - ZABA

Full of sleaze and sultry beats, this record does not beat around the bush in any way; Glass Animals are here, now, and they demand your attention. 'Pools' is irresistible, while tracks like 'Toes' have an underlying sinister nature, holding your ears to ransom. An audacious debut, perfect for unbearably hot summer afternoons. 

Woman's Hour - Conversations

The Kendal four-piece have already impressed many through the first half of 2014 and while some would falter under such pressure to perform, Woman's Hour show that they are assured enough to carry this weight. Conversations is very much part of the 'less is more' philosophy, but no emotion is lost or spared on this beautiful record.