Marina Florance - This, That and the Other

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 30 / 5 / 2016

---

With so much good music coming at us from all quarters it’s not surprising that occasionally we’ll miss out on an exceptional album or artist. ‘This, That and the Other’ is apparently Norwich-based Marina Florance’s third album but it’s the first bearing her name that has winged its way here so, just now, before having the opportunity to check out her previous work, no comparisons can be made to those earlier albums, but if they are even half as good as Marina’s latest album they should be immediately added to the must-have list. It appears that Marina, although writing songs for a number of years, has only fairly recently started to record and publicly perform her songs; it only takes one listen to ‘This, That and the Other’ to wonder why she left it so long. The press release for this album describes Marina’s latest set of songs as “a thing of beauty” and that neatly sums it up. The ten songs (plus an instrumental version of ‘The Wedding Day Waltz’) are all written or co-written by Marina who also produced the set in the studio she has set up in her home. It’s all too rare these days that hearing an artist for the first time can stop you dead in your tracks but as the haunting ‘I Told You My Troubles’ that opens the album the world stops turning as Marina’s warm vocals invite you into her world. It’s a voice that belongs to someone who has obviously had more than their fair share of problems but there’s no bitterness or anger displayed; it’s a comforting, reassuring voice and one that it’s pointless trying to ignore. If that opening shot somehow wasn’t enough to draw you in, then the following ‘Little Black Cloud’ will send shivers down your spine. Marina paints pictures with her words and her phrasing is both chilling and soothing. Despite the pretty melody and a few unexpected musical embellishments it’s her vocals that are captivating. Lyrically the song gives hope and the way Marina delivers her words (which really deserve placing here in full but space dictates otherwise) is especially moving. If a ‘Little Black Cloud’ has been following you around recently. then I would recommend that this particular song, taken at least three times a day, should be used to compliment whatever else is getting you through. It’s worked for some, I know. Thank you, Marina Florance for making a difference through your music. But even the chilling beauty of that song can’t prepare you for the following track, ‘A Better Song’. Written with Richard Pierce who adds a spoken echo of Marina’s words unexpectedly just over halfway into the song, it’s simply unlike any other song on the album, unlike any other song you’ll likely to hear all year, Marina harmonising with herself is alone a thing of beauty but her vocal performance on this song is truly amazing. Proof that quiet emotion is sometimes the most soulful. ‘Take a Little Time’ is another life-affirming song. Urging us to slow down and appreciate the good things around us even if they might take a little searching out, it’s another pretty melody framing Marina’s astute lyrics. Once again despite her undoubted lyrical talent it’s those vocals that leave the listener wanting more. ‘When The Past Came a Callin’, as the title suggests, tells the tale of a past love unexpectedly appearing, the loss, longing and fear (“I felt the urge to hold you…I’m not strong enough for you to stay”) is all too obvious in Marina’s vocals. It’s yet another exceptional vocal performance which brings even more authenticity to Marina’s already honest and real lyrics. ‘Carried Away’ has a slight country feel and recalls the early work of Dolly Parton both vocally and in the lyrics. The inclusion of ‘A Room of Your Own’ lends a knowing nod to the doo-wop sounds of the 50s, complete with alto saxophone from Greg Camburn and some bluesy guitar licks from Ben Smith finds Marina looking back on her child’s life. “You are older now than your father was when I first laid my eyes on him,” sings Marina sounding like the song was cut in the Fame Studios rather than in her home studio. ‘I’ll Remember You’ is another reflective love-lost song and by now you’re in little doubt that Marina has few peers with this type of song. It always makes me wonder when I read about how a certain record changed a person’s life. While I could list any number of songs that have got me through various situations which I can still even now turn to for reassurance or comfort and which I know will make whatever is going on around me disappear for a while I’m not sure if I can claim that a record actually changed my whole life. Changed my mood, maybe even my opinion but my life? But for what it’s worth ‘This, That and the Other’ has certainly made my corner of the world a little brighter, cast some hope into the shadows and shifted those little black clouds, and that’s all down to the lyrical talent of Marina Florance and her beautiful voice.

Track Listing:-

1 I Told You My Troubles
2 Little Black Cloud
3 The Wedding Day Waltz
4 A Better Song
5 Take A Little Time
6 When The Past Came a Callin
7 Carried Away
8 Bring Me That Sweet Thing Called Love
9 A Room of Your Own
10 I'll Remember You
11 The Wedding Day Waltz (Instrumental)

Band Links:-

http://www.marinaflorance.com/
https://twitter.com/MarinaFlo
https://www.facebook.com/MarinaFlorance/
https://www.youtube.com/user/SisterNo3
https://plus.google.com/+MarinaFlorance

Label Links:-

http://www.folkstockartsfoundation.com/folkstock-records/
https://twitter.com/Folkstock
https://www.youtube.com/user/Folkstock
https://plus.google.com/108149776288525712118
https://www.facebook.com/folkstockrecords
http://www.folkstockrecords.com/

Post A Comment

---

Comment

Name

your name

Location

ie London, UK

Submit

Check box to submit

Adam Coxon
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson

Dixie Ernill
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart

Malcolm Carter
Marie Hazelwood
Mark Rowland
Nick Dent-Robinson
Nicky Crewe
Nige Nudds
Philamonjaro
Richard Lewis
Shirley Procter
Spencer Robertshaw
Steev Burgess
Steve Kinrade

Steve Miles
Tommy Gunnarsson
Zena Grieg