Album review: VERITY WHITE – Reclaim; Set Fire

[Release date 08.03.19]

There’s a slew of young British female rock artists emerging at present, all looking to get a foothold on that slippery ladder of fame, with this month seeing sophomore releases from two south-west based singers – Elles Bailey and Verity White.

While the former is treading a polished, rootsy blues infused Americana/Nashville line, White along with hubbie Alex (who’s responsible for just about everything other than vocals and drums i.e. songwriting, guitars, bass, and synths, as well as and recording, production, mixing and mastering) plies a more 90′s retro, soft rock style from her Cheltenham, cottage industry base.

Having opened for Pendragon, and featuring as one of the backing vocalists on their 2016 Masquerade Overture 20th anniversary, and 2017 European tours, there can be no question that White has a more than decent set of pipes, imbued with sub-Pat Benatar tones. But her debut while solid was somewhat underwhelming both sonically, and in the songwriting department.

Sadly, her follow up Reclaim; Set Fire is simply more of the same. A perfectly solid record, but again lacking a killer track, and the backing, while punchy, absent of any real combustion, relying far too heavily on, without wishing to be unkind, some fairly rudimentary guitar work.

The result is an album that just never fires on six cylinders. More like a 1.0 Nissan Micra fitted with a large bore sports exhaust. It leaves you feeling that the project is more of a showcase for the talents of Mr, rather than Mrs, White. And on that level it once again, fails to convince.

An interesting use of a semi colon in the album title though. Now what’s that all about? ***

Review by Pete Whalley

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)