Album Of The Week Beautiful Lonely by Courtney Yasmineh (From Swindon Advertiser)

Album Of The Week Beautiful Lonely by Courtney Yasmineh

7:15pm Saturday 12th September 2009 in Reviews By Flicky Harrison

Album Of The Week Beautiful Lonely by Courtney Yasmineh Out on Stupid Bitch Records.

Appearing at the Beehive pub in Old Town, Swindon, on Wednesday September 23.

A country jazz offering called In Common begins our journey through the genres. Courtney’s voice is reminiscent of Joni Mitchell in Yellow Taxi with clipped vocals and perfect diction. It is followed by Brother a dark, brooding blues number with some menacing and frightening guitar melody overlaid by orchestral strings.

Part I Like has a much lighter, poppy feel about it. It is a bouncy sing-a-long song with a bright little tune. Stones is in the singer/songwriter style, more acoustic and softer but with shades of Joni Mitchell again appearing in this narrative track. There is a fierce build up of tension and the intensity of broken relationships crashes like waves upon the shore in the high octane chorus before it ebbs again to the sad and sorrowful verse. This is one of the most powerful tracks on the album.

Hurt A Girl meanwhile has Courtney’s crystalline vocals showcased to the max. It has an hypnotic guitar beat which explodes into a surprising hard rock chorus and then back to the silver vocals. It is Katy Perry ( I Kissed A Girl) with even more bite.

The title track Beautiful Lonely deserves to be a hit single with its soft and gentle blues vocals and glorious melody that haunts you and sticks in the mind. It is a shockingly lovely tune that brings tears to the eyes as the story unfolds.

Daydrunk, in complete contrast, swings back into country rock with a change of pace and change of feeling, while Stars is a pretty tune with a solid beat and those silver vocals working overtime. The guitar solo grabs you and holds you breathless.

Luna Moth is a more rocky ballad where the lead guitar never overshadows the vocals, merely shapes the song.

Prison is another poppy, dance beat number. A girl power track in the style of Mariah Carey meets Rhiannon - under her umbrella.

Seven Times As Lucky closes the album with the vocals dripping honey in a husky tone over tinkling keyboards and guitar.

It is an emotional album that pulls you up to the stars and then crashes you down to tears in a matter of seconds. A thoughtful album of depth and purity.- Flicky Harrison