Little Dreamer

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Cute, curly-headed diva Beth Rowley won many hearts with her charming Violets EP. Born in Peru and raised in the English West Country, Rowley has been mentored by Carleen Anderson and now follows up on the success of that EP with Little Dreamer, an album that continues her sweetly old fashioned, Motown-esque blend of blues, gospel, soul and jazz--all peppered with a classic mainstream sheen. Produced by Steve Power (Blur) and Kevin Bacon & Jonathan Quarmby (Richard Hawley, Finlay Quaye), the album discloses a voice as jaw-droppingly flawless and hopelessly compelling as a Norah Jones or Amy Winehouse, but with atmospheric traces of Karen Carpenter, Aretha Franklin and Eva Cassidy too. Tracks like the stunning gospel blues of "Almost Persuaded" and soulful single "Oh My Life" are good examples of what to expect from this cozy, feelgood album. The reggae pulse of "I Shall Be Released" tends to undermine the power and beauty of the original, but slow, heartfelt blues numbers like "One Cloud" more than make up for these blips. Rowley plays it safe on Little Dreamer, but it's a stunning collection nonetheless. --Danny McKenna

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Customer reviews

review by: johnronmusic date: 2008-07-01 rating:
Great new talent
A superb album - an exciting new voice, on both the cover versions and the originals, and confident handling of several genres (I don't find the current 'blues singer' pigeon-holing very helpful, although she can handle this genre well). OK, she probably can develop a bit more edge and drive and surely will, but she's well on the way. Strongly recommended!

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review by: date: 2008-06-23 rating:
Great voice, bigger potential
She's got a great voice and can handle a range of styles with ease.

Her pop radio songs are somewhat misleading as her handling of blues and gospel numbers on this album is exceptional.

Yes, there are echoes of other great female artists here, but her voice and style is distinctive and good enough to ensure she doesn't get consigned to the 'if you like this, you'll love this' category.

A refreshing new talent and voice in a sea of increasing pop mediocrity.

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review by: Cetard date: 2008-06-22 rating:
Lame
The worst album I've heard in the past ten years. Her voice is weak, and her "country girl" accent is so blatantly false. Just another mass-appeasing Winehouse rip-off.

Listen to Sarah McLachlan, and you'll realise how bad this amateur is trying to copy her tone.

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review by: David Cooper date: 2008-06-20 rating:
Quite simply, superb!
Although I have owned this CD for some time, I wanted to defer my review until I saw Beth live which I did on 19th June at The Stables. Quite simply, Beth Rowley is the best blues singer I've heard since the wonderful Eva Cassidy.This girl has everything, looks, personality, and most of all,a sensational voice. The CD is just a starting point as you really must see her live to appreciate just how good she is. She also has a superb band, and her co-writer and tenor sax player, Ben Castle, also happens to be the great Roy Castle's son. Given the breaks in a tough industry, Beth Rowley will become a legend.


review by: date: 2008-06-15 rating:
An album of two halves
Beth Rowley has been knocking about for a good few years; is it any surprise that her big breakthrough (this album debuted at number 6 in the UK charts) has come hot on the heels of the 2nd tranche of "Amy Winehouse followers" (Duffy, Adele et.al.)? Perhaps not, but it's no reason to hate her, or be dismissive of what is a decent album.

It's at its best on the more, dare I say it, old fashioned entries. Almost Persuaded with its simple piano backing is a winner, as is her version of Willie Nelson's "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" (featuring Peter Wilson of Duke Special fame).

When she, or her producers, try to take things in a more contemporary "pop" route, the gloss adds nothing to the proceedings. A case in point is So Sublime. It's pleasant, but doesn't make enough of the undoubted talent Rowley has.

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