Sarah Harvey Smart - Blinding

An actress since the age of 4, Sarah Harvey-Smart has appeared in countless television, film radio and theatre productions, and has had small parts in ‘EastEnders’ and the Richard Curtis film ‘Love Actually’, as well as being seen in commercials for Vodafone and Blockbuster. Now , having made appearances in various West End musicals including ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘Annie’, she is releasing a single, ‘Blinding’. On the evidence of this one might write off Harvey-Smart as another wannabe with a Martine McCutcheon and ‘Neighbours’ fixation, who, not having quite made the big time in her day job, is now having another desperate crack at getting under the spotlight elsewhere. ‘Blinding’ is, however, surprisingly good. A sumptious 80’s-style epic power ballad, the title track merges huge bubbles of fluttering synthesisers with Harvey-Smart’s slightly salty, soaring vocals. About the sudden collapse of the seemingly perfect love affair, Harvey-Smart does bruised hurt very well. The final chorus has her more baffled than bitter as shocked she tells her ex “You let our love slip away” and will nick at even the hardest of hearts. Slightly mellower and less gritty than its predecessor but still effective, ‘Crystal Clear’, the first of the two B sides, is another power ballad and finds Harvey-Smart cooingly trying to persuade her boyfriend into making another go of their relationship. Lastly there is a magical reworking of Emmylou’s Harris’ 1975 poignant tribute to Gram Parsons, ‘Boulder to Birmingham’, which, while remaining largely faithful to it source, builds on Harris’ simpler original by showing Harvey-Smart to be more than a force of her own against a powerful crescendo of backing singers. It remains to be seen whether Sarah Harvey-Smart can do anything else other power ballads and love songs, but ‘Blinding’ is a most promising start. After hearing this strong debut single, one is left hoping that, if she doesn't receive recognition as an actress, she will as a singer.