Fusing a vintage sound & sensibility with a joyous, contemporary edge,
Beth Rowley is essential listening for 2008. Born to British parents in Peru and raised in Bristol, the 26-year old singer/songwriter defies expectation with her towering vocals and sophisticated, gospel-tinged sound. Armed with an arsenal of timeless tracks, she releases her debut album ‘Little Dreamer’, May 26th.Largely co-written by Beth with saxophonist Ben Castle (Duke Special), the 11-track debut follows the EP ‘Violets’ (Dec 3rd) and demands attention. Produced by Steve Power (Blur) and Kevin Bacon & Jonathan Quarmby (Richard Hawley, Finlay Quaye), it smoulders with a seductive charm that blends blues and soul with the spirit of a New York gospel choir. Captivating and unique, her warm, understated sound marks the arrival of an exciting British artist.
Highlights include the Willie Nelson classic ‘Angels Flying Too Close’ (featuring Irish wonder Duke Special), the shimmering, scratchy blues feel of ‘Sweet Hours’, the gospel ‘One Cloud’ and the smoky allure of ‘Nobody’s Fault But Mine’. Equally, her soaring interpretation of Bob Dylan’s ‘I Shall Be Released’ effortlessly does justice to the original (and then some), while the defiantly catchy ‘Oh My Life’ bristles with instantaneous melody. The tracks ‘Almost Persuaded’, It’s Gonna Rain’ & ‘Beautiful Tomorrow’ were all arranged by Beth.Spotted at an open mic night in London’s Ginglik at just 17, Beth later trained at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. “I cut my teeth on the live circuit, which – for me – was the only way to do it. I then spent a year at the BIMM, where I met singer Carleen Anderson and developed my own sound.“ After building up a steady stream of support through low-key live dates, Beth teamed up with Ben Castle in 2000 and began writing her own material. “I’m influenced by a lot of bluegrass, gospel, soul and country, so my music has moments of them all. It’s all of them and something else, something personal. For me this album is from the heart.”"I love that old-school sound of PP Arnold and the Ronettes, so there had to be some kind of throwback to that, but we also worked hard on getting the balance right. It's a real leveller between the past and the present – and somewhere in between my sound emerged."
Beth Rowley
Beth Rowley ‘Little Dreamer’
Fusing a vintage sound & sensibility with a joyous, contemporary edge,
Beth Rowley is essential listening for 2008. Born to British parents in Peru and raised in Bristol, the 26-year old singer/songwriter defies expectation with her towering vocals and sophisticated, gospel-tinged sound. Armed with an arsenal of timeless tracks, she releases her debut album ‘Little Dreamer’, May 26th.Largely co-written by Beth with saxophonist Ben Castle (Duke Special), the 11-track debut follows the EP ‘Violets’ (Dec 3rd) and demands attention. Produced by Steve Power (Blur) and Kevin Bacon & Jonathan Quarmby (Richard Hawley, Finlay Quaye), it smoulders with a seductive charm that blends blues and soul with the spirit of a New York gospel choir. Captivating and unique, her warm, understated sound marks the arrival of an exciting British artist.
Highlights include the Willie Nelson classic ‘Angels Flying Too Close’ (featuring Irish wonder Duke Special), the shimmering, scratchy blues feel of ‘Sweet Hours’, the gospel ‘One Cloud’ and the smoky allure of ‘Nobody’s Fault But Mine’. Equally, her soaring interpretation of Bob Dylan’s ‘I Shall Be Released’ effortlessly does justice to the original (and then some), while the defiantly catchy ‘Oh My Life’ bristles with instantaneous melody. The tracks ‘Almost Persuaded’, It’s Gonna Rain’ & ‘Beautiful Tomorrow’ were all arranged by Beth.Spotted at an open mic night in London’s Ginglik at just 17, Beth later trained at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. “I cut my teeth on the live circuit, which – for me – was the only way to do it. I then spent a year at the BIMM, where I met singer Carleen Anderson and developed my own sound.“ After building up a steady stream of support through low-key live dates, Beth teamed up with Ben Castle in 2000 and began writing her own material. “I’m influenced by a lot of bluegrass, gospel, soul and country, so my music has moments of them all. It’s all of them and something else, something personal. For me this album is from the heart.”"I love that old-school sound of PP Arnold and the Ronettes, so there had to be some kind of throwback to that, but we also worked hard on getting the balance right. It's a real leveller between the past and the present – and somewhere in between my sound emerged."
Beth Rowley