Bec Sandridge #3 - Wild Heart

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Here's another release that I allowed to slip through my radar that I'm belatedly playing catch-up with (a familiar theme I know)... a couple of summers back I fell for the enchanting songs of Sydney's Bec Sandridge when she spent a summer over in the UK in support of her first EP Lyons and Bees, now follows her second EP Wild Heart (released last month and available now via Bandcamp)...

It confirms Bec's talent and a unique voice that deserve further exposure, "Stones" retains the spacious instrumentation and strong, emotive lyrics that resonated throughout Lyons and Bees but is more expansive with a sweeping string section at the tracks core which makes the melody waltz along with an elegant, graceful beauty.

Earlier track "Red Jumper" gets an overhaul with similarly glossy instrumentation guiding the quick-paced, foot stomping melody, understated yet compelling but it is the title track "Wild Heart" which is my favourite of the six tracks, starting with soft, haunting harmonies before Bec's tight finger-plucking acoustic echo and carry her distinguishable vocal whispers to heavenly plains.

Fingers crossed they'll be a repeat of 2012's UK dates next summer...

Bec Sandridge #2 - Wild Heart

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Today is day one of my next marathon training and it's snowing, running and snow (well more over the ice that follows the snow, fresh snow is okay) really don't work too well so I'm a little worried right now, so instead of thinking of that I'll turn to a few music posts over my lunch break to improve my mood.

First up is one of my favourite 'new' singer/songwriter's Bec Sandridge who is about to record her new EP. A message on her Facebook page shortly before Christmas hinted that the video posted below is a track under consideration for it. A couple of listens to the track "Wild Heart" later and a couple of things come straight to mind, firstly the song shouldn't be 'under consideration', it should be a penned in guarantee and secondly, the Sydney folkstress is super talented...

"Wild Heart" sees Bec's beautifully accented vocals beguile around circling guitar patterns, a simple acoustic video it may be but it certainly whet's the appetite for that EP. If it's half as good this (and last years Lyons and Bees) we're in for a treat.

Bec Sandridge - New Music "Introducing"

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Now that the event that I promised not to mention again is over (just how bad was the closing ceremony?!) and the UK returns to normal I'll aim to up my slow posting average of the last month or so. My July was busy for various reasons, one of them though was hardly hard-work, I promoted four shows (under the Beautiful Strange banner), the last of which included three acts I've already included on thE blog Anna Lena, Isobel Anderson and Young Romance and one I'd been meaning to but never quite managed, consider this a long overdue make amends...

Bec Sandridge is an Australian singer-songwriter who has spent the last two summers in the UK (as well as some time in the US in 2012) playing a number of shows around the country, her last before heading back to her homeland this time around was my aforementioned line-up at The Gallery Café at the end of last month, her voice blew me away instantly, there stood Bec, a tall, lone figure behind a microphone armed with just a guitar seemingly too small and this beguiling, unique voice that draws silence from the audience and makes the hair and your arms stand on end.

Her latest EP Lyons and Bees highlights this immense talent, kicking off with the title track where circling backing echoes provide the backdrop for dominate drums to lead Bec's guitar and vocals, strong and commanding it's a fuller sound than her solo live show but one that equally impresses. The highlight of the EP though is undoubtedly the incredible "Over The Sea", awash with a gloriously bright melody, spacious instrumentation and strong, emotive lyrics while Bec's hauntingly beautiful vocals glisten like the sun on mornings dew, just overwhelmingly gorgeous.

Bec promises to return to the UK next summer, I already can't wait. You can get the Lyons and Bees EP on iTunes or at Bec's shows.