Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
The amount of depth that is afforded to Emma Stevens, the wisdom in the music that gives a lift to the mood, even when the lyrics betray other sentiments that may in other hands bring the frame of mind down, makes Enchanted a beautiful beast of an album in which to appreciate the delicate bouquet of relished beaming roses.
Enchanted by name, perhaps even enchanted by nature, the album by Emma Stevens is full of passion, both beautifully and in its truest sense, one of suffering, and yet the suffering that Emma Stevens has taken, the loss of a parent which is one of the most devastating moments in any person’s life, is still captured with the idea of celebrating someone else’s spirit and comes across with sheer abundance throughout.
Emma Stevens isn’t yet a household name but she certainly deserves to be thought of a rising star, a woman who grabs the listener’s attention, not just by the words she sings and with the notes played but in the way that the words are used. The smile, that is so devastatingly in evidence, sparkles like a diamond under the gaze of the most scrupulous admirer and it really shows in each and every song that makes Enchanted such a bewitching delight to hear.
Utilising great musicianship by the likes of Pete Woodroffe, Sam Whiting, Matt Round, Bill Livsey, the experienced Christoph Demetriou and Charlie Grant, Emma Stevens delivers a set of songs that sound just as great in the studio as they do when performed live. From tracks such as Riptide, the exceptional (Teach Me to Breathe) Underwater, Once, the girlish joy of Party Girl, the burning desire and needing to understand contained within What’s She Got? and the persuasiveness of much needed sunshine in the soul that resonates through Hey Summer!, all show that Emma Stevens has got talent, not just talent but an undisguised panache and creative flair.
Enchanted makes you believe in the art of healing through music, through attractive charm and the power of a smile being audibly heard no matter how the lyric may turn dark and thoughtful. An album of deep joy!
Ian D. Hall