Ophelia - Ophelia EP

  by Nicky Crewe

published: 8 / 5 / 2017

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Review

Ophelia is both the title of the EP and the name of the band. Rebecca Van Cleave and Sam Taylor are singer songwriters in their own right and formed the duo on the road, travelling along Florida’s Emerald Coast. Music has always broken boundaries, bringing cultures and individuals together, whether audiences and performers, engineers and producers, studios and venues. This debut EP from Ophelia is a real celebration of how successful these international collaborations can be. Studios in Nashville and New York, Sheffield and Malmesbury and Barcelona are part of the sound. Guest musicians include David Glover, Eamonn McLoughlin (Nashville), Greg Haver (Super Furry Animals and Manic Street Preachers) and Neilson Hubbard. Sam Taylor has been a songwriter and performer for 15 years, touring the world and now based in Sheffield. Van Cleave has been featured on BBC Introducing. She released her debut EP in 2015, and as an actress she has been a body double in 'Game of Thrones' and the lead in 'The Prey'. Their relationship and wider musical friendships are part of the story and the strength of Ophelia. They are bringing out their debut album later this year, and it’s going to include a song written by Van Cleave’s father back in the 1970s when he was in a band called 'Meadow'. The debut single, 'Whip Of The Wheel', is released on April 21st and this EP is launched at the Greystones in Sheffield on May 5th. Van Cleave and Taylor acknowledge their early musical influences as coming from the 60s and 70s, including Blondie, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Lennon and Bowie in their list. The first track is 'A Little Too Late', written by Van Cleave. It’s a great pop song in the best tradition of the genre. Hints of Blondie and Tom Petty are there, but it also reminded me of Swedish singer songwriter Robyn. It’s a strong start to the EP and shows the potential of Van Cleave’s talent as a songwriter. Sam and Matthew Taylor take the songwriting credits for 'I Can’t Dream About You Anymore'. It’s atmospheric and edgy, with great gravelly vocals. 'If You Could Read My Mind', (written by Sam Taylor with Angela Lauer and Peter Groenwald) shows off the combination of voices in Ophelia in a gentler mood. The new single, 'Whip of the Wheel', rolls along with a rocking energy. The final track is a beautiful version of Leonard Cohen’s 'Chelsea Hotel #2', a lovely tribute to the man and the song. This EP is so full of promise and potential. It’s a great introduction to Ophelia and a showcase for their talents and musicianship. Bring on the debut album.

Track Listing:-

1 A Little Too Late
2 I Can’t Dream About You Anymore
3 If You Could Read My Mind
4 Whip Of The Wheel
5 Chelsea Hotel #2

Band Links:-

https://en-gb.facebook.com/OpheliaMusi
http://opheliamusicofficial.com/
https://twitter.com/OpheliaMusic
https://www.instagram.com/opheliamusic
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBxwG