Almost exactly 2 years since we made Heather's self released 'Candy & Dirt' our album of the month, she's back with a new album, only this time with the backing of an established record label.
As with her previous albums the songs here are almost all insights into the lives of the various characters that populate the stories - they're superb studies of snippets of real life; from the ultimately sad 'Mixed up Girl', to the fantastically mundane 'Midnight Shift' ("…I work the midnight shift, but sometimes my mind starts to drift…"). Each of the 12 songs (plus hidden track) feel like self contained stories, the songwriting is superb and it's obvious she's a hugely talented writer.
In the intervening couple of years she has assembled a first rate group of musicians who switch playing styles with ease, and are always sensitive to the moods created by the lyrics. There's good variety in the instrumentation, with the regulation guitars and drums augmented with cello, Hammond, banjo and some excellent percussion across the 12 songs.
'Real' is full of hooks, there are infectious melodies everywhere, the tracks are varied in style and it has momentum right from the off.
This is pop-singer/songwriter at it's best - lots of instant appeal with enough depth to make this an album that will be played well into the future. In this exceptional catalogue, this is another disc not to miss out on.

£13.49