Helen Boulding – New Red Dress CD Review

Helen Boulding – New Red Dress

If you want to hear a fantastic album by a female singer this year then look no further than Helen Boulding’s debut album – New Red Dress. Helen’s first outing sees her combining a range of vocal talents to pull together a truly stand out debut offering. A cleverly crafted mix of folk, pop and country sit well together on this twelve track CD and with a cover photo taken by none other than Bryan Adams how can she go wrong?

Already being played on Radio 2 Helen is getting the publicity she deserves and rightly so. This is an album that deserves to be heard by the masses not hidden away in record shops, where due to a lack of exposure it will end up in the bargain bins in a few months time.

The title of the album comes from the first track on the album called Way To Go, a rousing number that gets the album off to a flying start. Copenhagen gives Helen a chance to show off her gritty vocals reminding me slightly of Bonnie Tyler’s husky voice. For me Copenhagen is the stand out track of the whole album – very atmospheric!

Breathe is an interesting track and perhaps more suited to the pop charts, probably why it was picked to be a single. Sleepwalking, track five on the album is a fantastic song and one that grows on you the more you listen to it. Fabulous lyrics and a catchy chorus make this track a track to die for. I have played this album to several friends and they have all raved over this track and said how beautiful Helen’s vocals are.

Housework is a more rousing song than Sleepwalking but in a similar style and vain. Great lyrics again that make you stop and listen. I Can’t Stop Myself From Loving You is another lovely slow song towards the end of the album.

I Always Look This Blue is a delicate song that will appeal to folk and country fans alike. The chorus is like a little bit of heaven in a song. More Than Missing You is a stunning song that tugs at the heart strings. If you haven’t enjoyed any of the other songs on the album I am sure this song will win you over. What A Fool is a faster track that will appeal to fans of more modern country music.

Walk Away has another catchy chorus and some more great lyrics. It is one of those songs where the lyrics kind of melt into the gentle music.

The final track on the album comes all too soon, for me I could listen to Helen’s vocals all night and day as they are so dreamy. Helen has said that one of the groups that influence her music is The Cardigans and it is easy to see how she brings their sound into her own music.

This I Swear is a nice gentle, slow song to end the album on. Here Helen reminds me a little of Kate Bush, but only a little.

Overall a fantastic debut offering from this talented singer I just hope we get to hear and see more of her in the future and that unlike many other extremely talented singers that have emerged in the UK over the past few years she doesn’t fade quickly away into obscurity.