Charlotte Hatherley - New Worlds

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 11 / 12 / 2009

Label: Little Sister Records
Format: CD

intro

Superbly off-kilter third solo album from former Ash guitarist, Charlotte Hatherley

The former Ash and Nightnurse guitarist Charlotte Hatherley's third solo album, 'New World', is a joy from beginning to end and has a totally independent feel. The first track, 'White', is ballsy with odd rhythms and has classy vocals from Charlotte that recall Nina Persson from the Cardigans. She shows on it that she is totally unafraid to go her own way. 'Alexander', a recent single, has an element of late 60's Apple recording Artist, Mary Hopkin, while 'Straight Lines' is a strange combination of the Knack and ZZ Top and works surpisingly well. 'New Worlds' is very fast, a quirky new wave number which is a peculiar mixture of Devo and Killing Joke. 'Firebird', the opposite of everything else on the album, is like a cockney knees up number, while 'Full Circle', a rock number, has the wacky eccentricity in its lyrics of Tori Amos, Bjork and Kate Bush. 'Little Sahara', is a punk number that recalls the early Jam and has spiky lyrics reminiscent of Poly Styrene from X Ray Spex and Ari Up from the Slits. 'Colours 'in contrast is radio-friendly and funky sounding. 'Cinnabar' is a gentle 60s style folk song, with a touch of added pop. 'Wrong Notes' ends the album, and, like a lot of the rest of the album, builds slowly. 'New Worlds' for all its eccentricity is an album that works well, but requires an intelligent brain to understand and cherish it. Wrap it around your ears and embrace it!

Track Listing:-