Rhiannon Scutt - #9 EP

On a glorious summer evening in early July I was invited to attend a very special recording session at Cafe #9 in Sheffield. This was the second live recording session to take place in the cafe. As a music venue it has a lovely acoustic, all wood panelling and windowa.As the sun streamed through the windows a group of musicians prepared to record the songs that appear on this EP. There wasn’t much space for an audience, but we were enthusiastic and delighted to be asked. Lynne Chapman, a Sheffield-based artist and illustrator, was there to capture the scene in her sketch book. One of her images is on the cover of the CD. Rhiannon Scutt is a remarkable singer-songwriter and performer. Versatile and talented, she was part of Sheffield duo Rita Payne and is currently performing with We Are Not Devo ("It’s not a tribute, it’s devotion"). There’s more to her involvement with the cafe too. She works there and is an important part of its warm welcome. I’ve written about the cafe as a venue and my impressions of the Sheffield music scene in other reviews. I’m always impressed by the connections and collaborations, by the versatility and openness I see in the way musicians relate to one another and make things happen. Rhiannon brought together Sheffield-based musicians for this recording who hadn’t met or played together as a group before the evening. The tracks were recorded live, without any prior rehearsals. Arrangements were created as we watched. It was a remarkable process to witness, and as she says in the sleeve notes, the result is "beautifully imperfect." The musicians who were prepared to share this experience with her were a special team. Simon Stafford played with the Long Pigs and Joe Strummer’s Mescaleros and others too numerous to mention in this review. Look him up. His son Finlay is also a fantastic musician and won the BBC Proms Inspire Young Composer Award in 2015. Sarah Heneghan plays with Sheffield Afro Beat Funk Brass group the Forefathers, and Richard Cook is also part of We Are Not Devo. Rhiannon’s songs are personal and poetic, and her voice is deep and full of emotion. The first track, 'I Swim', sets the mood for the collection. 'Waging War' is about relationships and healing, and 'Lee' is a song of friendship and nostalgia. 'Another Way' ends the EP with a soaring vocal and thought- provoking lyrics. Current favourite track is 'The Songwriter', full of self- awareness and the difficulties and craft of any writer. "Songs come easy/ songs come hard." This is a wonderful introduction to Rhiannon Scutt as a singer-songwriter and performer. It’s also a piece of magic, proving what can be achieved when talented musicians take a risk in creating something spontaneous. It takes courage and mutual respect and this recording is a tribute to all involved.

Track Listing:-

1 I Swim
2 Waging War
3 Lee
4 The Songwriter
5 Another Way

Band Links:-

https://rhiannonscutt.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RhiannonJScut
https://twitter.com/rhiannonscutt

Live Reviews

(With El Heneghan and Lovell). Greystones, Sheffield, 22/4/2022

Sheffield-based singer-songwriter Rhiannon Scutt has simultaneously released three new EPs entitled ‘'Facets'. At a launch gig at Greystones in Sheffield, Nicky Crewe finds that they show just how much she is capable of as songwriter and a performer. They are a fantastic introduction to her work and a celebration of her style.