Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
We are worth so much more than being the idle thought of those that caused our hearts to break, after all is said and done, the only person that can truly destroy us emotionally, is ourselves.
Stepping away from The Breakups for a while as she explores her current surroundings and delves further into her own solo story, Beth Lee opens up her soul to a new kind of love, the selfless self-love to which we must all embrace if we are being to true to ourselves, the solitude of confinement in which we learn the ultimate truth of our existence and how it drives us to avoid falling into the lap of heartbreak again.
A solo album in belief and outlook, but as all good artists understand, you also require assistance, companionship, to bring out the best in your pursuit of single-minded appreciation, and with Beth Lee finding artistic pleasure with Vincente Rodriguez as her producer and performing on drums, percussion and bass, James DePrato on guitar and glockenspiel, Julie Wolf on organ, melodica and Nino Moschella adding to the backing vocals provided by the entire ensemble, Waiting On You Tonight is a terrific example of how to stretch your boundaries without losing your integrity and your honesty.
Through the sublime start to the album in the stunning title track, Waiting On You Tonight, Beth Lee takes the listener through the representation of intimacy, of choices made, and influences embraced, and as tracks such as Playing Along, Birthday Song, Too Little Too Late, Pens And Needles and the superb I Won’t Give In, the sense of vulnerability and the knowledge that art is nothing without having been placed in fires of sacrifice and surrendering of the self, is more than just palpable, it is definite, an unmistakable and profound cause and effect to which art must rise from out of the ashes and in which the soul must be willing to follow as a martyr must be willing to attest their beliefs without hesitation.
An exceptionally thrilling and insightful solo album from Beth Lee, Waiting On You Tonight is a glorious affair with heart.
Ian D. Hall