Album Review:  Lewis Watson – The Love That You Want  ( Cooking Vinyl)

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Lewis Watson delivers a well-crafted Folk-Pop album on his third album release.

He’s 27 years old and hails from Bicester in England. Self-taught on guitar and got a kick out of playing cover songs on the Internet until he came up with some of his own.

Had a YouTube channel under the name HolyLoowis, and he built up a slowly expanding fanbase.

Major label Warners Music were sufficiently impressed to release three EPs from 2012, and a debut album The Morning in 2014.

A cult following and word of mouth enthusiasm which may broaden with The Love You Want.

Take What You Need and Meant For Me begins proceedings, and he reminds me of Lorde with a quiet vocal opening but soon he takes it to a higher and stronger register.

Acoustic guitar and glittering keyboards, tasteful little hooks and riffs surround the up-front singing.

Producer is Richard Wilkinson and over the course of the album he provides a melodic and uplifting vehicle to these songs of relationships, longings and regrets.

Castles of Sand is a change of tone. Complex rhythmic drums and keyboards, a female vocal chorus. The singer displays an impressive dynamic range.

Because of You sounds like Lewis has been listening to Revolver era Beatles. Tasteful strings are added.

Spark begins with a droning acoustic guitar riff, then builds on this with waves of keyboard harmony melodies. Has a Buddy Holly feel similar to Listen to Me.

The above three are highlights of the album.

Loving Arms is a scathing push off song in the tradition of the early Dylan. You spent a night in my arms, thanks for letting me down. A prominent folk club acoustic guitar drives this along.

Bring You Home changes things up again. Polyrhythmic drums and keyboards with a vocoder. He’s listened to Laurie Anderson as well.

Lewis Watson is an idiosyncratic English folk singer who on repeated listening presents well-crafted songs with a strong and soulful voice.

Rev Orange Peel

   

 

Rev Orange Peel
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