I’ve said it before, and I’ll quite happily repeat it for as long as I am able; variety isn’t just a spice reserved for life. You should definitely throw some into your daily music intake if you can. Not just because some unknown mouthpiece on the internet demands it, oh no. Simply because you never know what you might stumble onto next. In my ongoing quest to inject a bit more variety into my musical tastes, I happened across a particularly talented songstress from the wild lands of Somerset, whose songs are well crafted, and whose potential is seemingly unlimited.
The saga of Abi Baker’s rise to musical prowess is indeed a familiar tale that I won’t go into here, but the grass roots approach and exposure to a wide variety of influences are definitely on display here, as well as songs ranging from extremely polished, to maybe a little more lo-fi. Regardless of recording proficiency, each song has a clear voice, which shows a specific style being developed.
As always, all the songs I’m talking about are found out and about on the internet, today taken from Abi’s ReverbNation page (link below).
First up is Drunk Love Conversation. The lyrical content is the main draw here, the sense that a story is being developed and crafted within a smooth, almost lullaby like song that uses its instrumentation in fairly conventional means, but still to great effect. Similarly, the harmonies in the vocal line are not overstated and work well to add warmth to the overall atmosphere of mellow, chilled out, almost drunken wooziness. A great counterpoint is used through the change of emphasis to the toms in the drum part during the bridge; that culminates in a pitch perfect key change, with a subtle shift in the vocal harmony to add a greater yearning effect to the proceedings, something that is reflected in the lyrics. A fantastic, well made song that doesn’t wander far from its point, but doesn’t stay stuck so rigidly that it can’t expand and evolve.
Next I checked out Life Is What Happens When You Make Other Plans, which offered a different view of Abi’s approach to songwriting. Straight away, it is obviously a more low-key/low-fi recording compared to Drunk Love Conversation, with just vocals and guitar on show. And granted, the guitar accompaniment isn’t particularly intricate or mind-shattering, but just like the previous track, the emphasis is placed solely on the vocals and in particular the lyrical content. I would guess that this is a track that was created earlier than the previous one, due to the fact that Drunk Love Conversation is structured a little better; in that Life... doesn’t feel quite as focussed as the other. But if this is the case, it again shows how much development is going on and just how much potential Abi has.
That point is demonstrated perfectly in Little Miss Perfect. No pun intended. This is such a focussed song that is spot on. Taking all the good things about Drunk Love... – the harmonies, the lyrical content, and using the instrumentation to great effect – and then adding extras like a really solid structure and an atmosphere that is different to anything heard before, makes it my standout favourite. Here we’re seeing Abi tackle a different emotional range, with a little bit bitterness, and though it doesn’t really stand out in her vocal delivery yet, the way in which the song is constructed and the way in which the instruments are used to support and convey the core of the song definitely make up for that.
Overall then, if you’re a fan of female singer songwriters, or want something a little bit more chilled out, or just looking for something new and different, why not have a listen to Abi Baker’s music? Full of talent and potential, there are definitely bright things in her musical future, and I can’t wait to hear what she writes next.
Review by Paul Barnes
Check out Abi Baker!
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