Hollie Stephenson - Hollie Stephenson

by Malcolm Carter

published: 30 / 5 / 2016

Label: Membran
Format: CD

Fantastic debut album from 18-year London-based singer-songwriter, Hollie Stephenson

Review

We’ll refrain from stating the bloody obvious, but it’s a safe bet that most (if not all) of the other reviews you might read about London-based Hollie’s debut album will compare her vocal style to others who have kept the flag flying for songs where soulful vocals are coupled with powerful arrangements. So no comparisons then as, quite honestly, Hollie’s talents are so rare we should concentrate on how bright she shines on this album rather than who she, at times, might sound like. It’s been a long time coming. There have been clips of Hollie performing cropping up in the usual places for a few years now, but this collection of thirteen songs was well worth waiting for. It’s been said that stars are born; Well, 18 short years ago it appears that happened in London. No doubt having Dave Stewart (no stranger to recognizing extremely talented female singers) as mentor, manager and producer has helped Hollie’s star shine just a little more brightly, but, make no mistake, this girl has star quality like few others. It’s no surprise that, as she wrote her first song aged twelve, Hollie penned all the songs on her debut album (four co-writes with Dave Stewart), but what is surprising is the maturity shown in her songwriting and the way that she wrings every last bit of emotion from every line she sings. While Stewart has avoided the easy route which would have been to shroud that powerhouse of a voice in a retro-soul sound on every cut, the duo, with a cracking band, have channeled jazz, blues and even ska elements into the songs to hammer home just how special and different Hollie’s music is. And while Stewart could no doubt make even this writer sound reasonably okay given his skills in the studio (No, on second thoughts maybe not), anyone who has seen Hollie live or caught one of her acoustic performances online will know that even stripped right-back to just that voice and acoustic guitar that magic still shines through. Decades of listening to music, being obsessed by it even, has taught me that once Otis Redding has touched a song it’s best left well alone; only one ‘Otis’ cover comes readily to mind that deserves to sit alongside his own version. But there’s a clip of Hollie doing the usual rounds singing ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’ accompanied by just her acoustic guitar that is spellbinding. That someone can take that song, inject it with another type of emotion and take it to a place that Otis Redding didn’t is almost startling. There are no covers on Hollie’s debut and, despite her obvious talent for making another artist's song her own, there’s no need for a well-known song to draw people in when her own compositions are as strong and solid as those displayed here. The album kicks off with the summery, brass-laden ‘Pointless Rebellion’, the carefree ska-infused beat at odds with the putdown of an ex-friend who has taken a wrong turn in her life. It’s as catchy as the common cold; intelligent lyrics coupled with a tune it’s impossible not to love. ‘Broken Heartstrings’ goes some way to show why Hollie should not be regarded as some kind of young pretender but why she is worthy of the Queen Of Soul tag. She pours more of herself into one line than many of her more famous (for now) contemporaries are capable of throughout a whole album and she wraps such gorgeous melodies around her lyrics. The smouldering ‘Leave Her Be’ and ‘Lovers Game’ give notice to the young pretenders that not only do they have competition in the soulful vocal sector but that Hollie can actually write a brilliant tune, something many of her contemporaries seem to have forgotten to do. There are even a couple of songs to which Hollie and band lend a slight Northern Soul vibe which, given what has gone before, is something of a welcome surprise. But for many it’s ‘Sunday Morning’ that will be the main attraction. Turning in one of the most soulful vocal performances on the album, the chorus is a killer and that an artist of just 18 years (it’s possible that Hollie was even younger when she wrote this song, of course) can not only turn in such a powerful performance but that she actually played a major part in writing the song is barely believable. If it doesn’t happen now with this album, then it’s only a matter of time before the world catches up and realises that Hollie Stephenson has it all. The looks, just the right amount of attitude, songwriting capabilities that belie her age and that voice (one listen to ‘Breathlessly’, just Hollie’s vocals and Waddy Wachtel’s guitar confirm all of the above) all add up to shape Hollie into a true star. This one is going to shine brightly for a long time yet…

Track Listing:-

1 Pointless Rebellion
2 Broken Heartstrings
3 Dried out Lies
4 Leave Her Be
5 Lovers' Game
6 Revelation
7 Old Friend
8 Confession
9 Man of Few Words
10 My Own Tears
11 Sunday Morning
12 Breathlessly
13 Hard Way