Friday, 14 August 2015

Review - Oh Sister - Watch The Water




Oh Sister – Watch The Water EP (Moonshiner Records)

CD / DL

2 August 2015

8 / 10


Folk inspired singer/songwriter releases her debut EP.  

Sarah Berresford may not be a name that the public is over familiar with, but with the release of the Watch The Water EP under the handle of Oh Sister, that may all be set to change.

Originally from Barnard Castle but now living in London, Sarah has created a rather lovely EP of four songs deeply personal and deeply emotional.  Greatly inspired by Bob Dylan (Oh Sister being the title of a track from his 1976 album, Desire), her performing is not just limited to acoustic guitar.  Now part of a an all-girl band her early difficulties with stage fright now seem to be a thing of the past and her skilful song writing can now be shared by all.

Lead track, For The Dales is a haunting semi-acoustic semi-electronic affair full of personality and oozing atmosphere.  Apparently written in just ten minutes on her departure from home on the journey to London, it is a stunning soundscape packed with gorgeous vocal samples, electro ticks and acoustic guitar.

Hot And Cold sees Sarah accompanied by a string backing over a deeply passionate lyric both heart-breaking and delightful.  Mixing juxtapositions with rhyming couplets it slowly unfolds into a breath-taking performance. 

Don’t Leave too is a deeply emotive affair and another song based around relationships.  It’s clearly a subject that Sarah has masses of subject matter to draw from and is highly successful in its portrayal to the listener.

Only Nature moves once more to a guitar accompanied backing and is soft and gentle in its presentation.  Another melody which will be difficult to be forgotten and one which will put you at complete ease.

Sarah Berresford isn’t just a woman with an acoustic guitar.  Her song writing skills extend far far further than that, and her ability to entice the listener deep into her songs is almost bewildering.





Published on Louder Than War 5/08/15 - here.


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