Album review: LOUISE STEEL – Sideshow
Website [Release date 20.11.20]
Here at GRTR! Towers we enjoyed Louise Steel’s 2017 debut ‘Heartstorm’ very much. Louise Steel’s second album has been two years in the making that has included personal tragedy and making this album has proved cathartic for her.
Her songwriting and musical foil Andrew Dunmore is again involved in the making and production of the album. Lyrically the themes cover empowerment, resilience and finding an inner confidence, all set to melodic, pop melodides.
One thing that soon becomes apparent is the sound/production which is clear and sounds like a big label production. It helps immensely as Louise wanted a theatrical feel to the songs. This certainly comes across on ‘Sideshow’, complete with a colourful video over on YouTube. It sounds like a clean mouthed Pink! That is also true of ‘Masquerade’, a lyric with bite that’s for sure!
‘Aura’ has a pop rock bounce about it,where some guitar crunch and a pop melody work well together. Certainly on this album the theatrics and atmosphere on each song are used to great effect. ‘Dollhouse Dream’ being a prime example where you need to listen carefully to what is going on musically, and another one for possible airplay.
‘Lady Labyrinth’ is a showstopper (although the album ends with a song called that!), just Louise’s impassioned vocals and a piano backing. In a word, magnificent.
It is very difficult for newer artists to get known and heard, especially with no label backing, so full marks to Louise Steel for carrying on and providing us with another pop rock treat. ****
Review by Jason Ritchie
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024
ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)
Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
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