Laura Moody - Acrobats

  by Dave Goodwin

published: 17 / 11 / 2014

Label: Surbiton Lagoon
Format: CD

intro

Eccentric but haunting debut solo album from London-based cellist and singer-songwriter and Elysian Quartet member, Laura Moody

I love listening to the cello in my music. Every now and then something comes along that makes me listen a little more attentively to whatever I am listening to me. The cello, with its lovely melancholic sound, has always been an instrument that has done that to me. A breath of fresh air to these ears, London-based cellist and singer-songwriter Laura Moody is best known for her work with innovative string quartet the Elysian Quartet In using only her cello and her voice, she has created a unique form of classical pop music on her debut solo album, ‘Acrobats’. Laura has won much acclaim for her pioneering performances and recordings ,and apparently draws her influences from electronica, pop, folk and contemporary classical music, poetry, art, noises, artful noises, writing songs on the traditional rock and roll themes of love, death, sex and hair loss along with artists such as Bjork, PJ Harvey, Diamanda Galas, Tom Waits, Ani DiFranco, Goldfrapp, Portishead, Massive Attack, Meredith Monk, Keith Tippett, Julie Tippetts, MIA, Kate Bush, Battles and Pentangle. The packaging of ‘Acrobats’ is a lavish piece of art. Inside the reflected image of the front cover is a wonderful booklet full of lyrics and credits which includes some excellent artwork from Gerald Jenkins. There around eight images inside that beg for an exhibition wall. 'Acrobats' features six original tracks, alongside a captivating re-imagining of Nick Drake’s ‘Cello Song’. Throughout it she highlights her mesmeric musical abilities, as she combines her trademark, harrowing vocals and skilled string abilities. She creates clicks, shrieks and howls the likes I never thought possible from one cello on tracks like ‘Call This Time’.. Every track on this offering has me sat in a cello-fused trance. For all its weirdness and eccentricity, ‘Acrobats’ is totally haunting and gripping.

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