Album Review: Kirsty Almeida – Pure Blue Green
3 min read
Pure Blue Green is the stunning debut album from one of the UK’s finest singers and eccentric entertainers, Kirsty Almeida.
Hot on the heels of Almeida’s recent single release, Spider, Pure Blue Green is a full length glimpse into the wonder and sublime genius of one of the industry’s latest talent discoveries.
With the whimsical and old time radio styled minute long intro of Gather Round starting the record off, the album demonstrates a pure gem right from the very first note. If You Can’t Make Me Happy is a boppy number with a slight folkish feel to it surrounded by Almeida’s signature circus sound. The song slows down in its centre to focus on Almeida’s RnB vocal textures before lifting off into another round of catchy chorus lines.
The album highlight and the records first single, Spider, takes over from this point and this is a brilliant track for the rising star who shows a fine strength in storytelling. Its 70’s rhythm and
the hollering ‘na-na-na’s of the chorus add a heavy flow of charm and vintage class to Spider making it one heck of a lead single for Almeida.
Pure Blue Green continues to display an array of versatility with the down tempo swoonings of Cool Down Rewind. A number that is as raw as it is carefree, it’s a track with a delicate string arrangement laced through a faultless melody combining triangles, acoustic guitar and gentle piano tinkerings.
Gliding further through the album we get ushered along by some truly bold balladry in the form of Scares Me. A exemplary addition to Pure Blue Green, the number adds a big band sound to the structure of what is a remarkable and well conceived track. Haunting backing vocals along with a note held to an impressive length and an epic delivery make this one another standout on the record.
Butterflies slows the pulse down with a song that sounds like it could have easily been written by Sade or Carole King. Strings are the order of the day in this track which showcases the singer overtaken by vulnerability and a gorgeous use of layered textures.
The album is also given a very toned down and Amy Winehouse style slow version of If You Cant Make Me Happy ending the record on a perfectly elevated note.
To categorize Pure Blue Green or its conceiver into a specific genre would prove to be a failing effort. The album covers all bases, swinging from pop and Americana through to jazz, blues and 70’s big band power ballads within its 55 minute lifespan that, without the slightest ounce of doubt, is one if the best debuts I have heard in a very long time.
Kirsty Almeida has the voice, the style and the authentic prowess to write some truly outstanding and lavish genre bending musical gems that will see this leading lady of British eclecticism climbing the charts with a release that well deserves to rule the UK chart roost.
::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
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