Louise and The Feathers is the result of a Wales, UK artist who is originally from Birmingham. After years of writing, jamming and finally wanting to share her folk, pop and rock vibe, influenced from the likes of Florence and The Machine, Paolo Nutini, Alison Moyet, Tina Turner, Annie Lennox, Haim, Kate Bush, 4 Non-Blondes and more, “Louise” moved to Wales when she was nine and has been writing music ever since. After playing in a variety of bands and numerous open mic nights all the while revisiting early written originals, she decided to start using her middle name of “Louise” which represents the roots of her music passion. Along with “and the feathers” the band’s name links to spiritual perspectives and a love of nature.
After recording demos at home, all five songs were professionally recorded at Aberystwyth Music Studio with additions from Ivan Anchant, bass and backing vocals from Andy Lloyd-Williams and mixing and mastering by Steffan Woodruff. This collaboration lead to the Window View EP. The recording symbolizes the idea of looking out and imagining a dream but never quite reaching it. The tree on the EP’s cover represents the idea of deep roots, steady growth and branches – paths that lead to various connections, locations and opportunities. The tree is without leaves, which Louise says represents links to the idea of second chances as they have added to the soil more knowledge and strength for future vision. To promote her work, Louise played various gigs including Pembs Fest, West Fest, Cwmaman Festival, Caffi Iechyd Da and more. She is currently working on a second EP entitled Reflection. The opening song “Rich Tea Biscuit” has a haunting presence about it, even though the lyrics are rather humorous if read in a different way. The congas add a nice warmth as the backing vocals add to the song’s mysterious style. Louise’s playing is gentle but commanding and her voice knocked me out – quite distinctive with a unique tone. Next is “Faded Away” which features a more laid back, mellow style starting off and then picks up after a few verses. The song’s lyrics speak of a harsh break up – a fading away. The mix of haunting melodies, extra percussion and sparse drumbeats adds to the tension and sadness within the song’s words. “Come Back” has a more rocking feel to it, featuring more percussion and faster acoustic rhythms and Louise sings of struggles with “dead end jobs” “democracy and being poor” and a “lover” she wants back into her life. The song throws a curve ball as it takes a short detour, or two, showcasing different tempos, structures and arrangements. Quite a dynamic number! “Can’t Stop Thinking About” has an electric feel and a delightful addition of the xylophone. What grabbed my attention was the song’s uncanny sound – ya know, the kind of song or feeling you get from a song, that triggers a memory or reminds you of another band that you can’t think of. Anyway, it’s a great song which features yet another interesting arrangement by Louise and The Feathers. Last there is “Mistress” – the longest from this five-song EP. There’s a quasi-country/post-‘60s folk vibe to this number. Think Mary Chapin Carpenter with a little Joni Mitchell, although I’m not equating Louise’s voice to these well known female singers – Louise’s vocal tones are on the lower end – as she sings about a man whom a mistress wishes she could have, by leaving her “life of passion” and hoping to lead a life of honesty. But as the song goes on, it did not end well for the mistress. Overall, Window View EP is a nice sampling from this UK artist, offering a variety of arrangements, textures and added instrumentation.
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