Album review: CERI JUSTICE – Walk In Shadow

www.cerijustice.rocks [Release date 15.04.22]

Here at GRTR! it doesn’t really matter that we are reviewing an album nearly 12 months old. If it comes to our attention belatedly and is meritorious, we do it. It was Pete Feenstra playing a track in his weekly Rock & Blues Show (Get Ready to ROCK! Radio) that made me revisit this singer songwriter’s sophomore release.

The song Pete played – ‘Shipwrecked’ – was actually from her 2019 debut and is a standout with a vocal delivery not dissimilar to a less warbly Stevie Nicks and punctuated by mournful strings.

‘Walk In Shadow’ is a solid album and hopefully moves Midlands-based Ceri nearer to where she wants to be. It’s a combination of upbeat, catchy tunes (like opener ‘Wanted’) and the darker (like the standout title track). The instrumentation is mainly jaunty and the violin omnipresent. All credit to Paul Johnston who has provided most of the instrumentation.

Basically Ceri can rock when necessary and calm down when appropriate. But whilst the whole is very melodic and very appealing there are a few average tracks such as ‘You Did What You Did’ and the somewhat throwaway ‘Mess You Up’. To be honest, it’s all very seventies.

I wonder if Ceri is not quite sure of which audience she wishes to capture. A cover of ‘Jolene’ takes her down a country route along with ‘Love Let Me Down’ and to a lesser extent ‘Got This Feeling’.

Another cover ‘Do Anything You Wanna Do’ boosts Ceri’s soft rock credentials but the real “killer” is ‘Walk In Shadow’. This stretches to epic proportions (nearly eight minutes) and if nothing else shows Ceri’s versatility. The vocal here reminds of Jan Johnston, one time a member of the very fine early 1990s band JJ. The next album will hopefully consolidate the strengths but for the meantime definitely a meritorious album. ***1/2

Review by David Randall

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 28 April 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 30 April 2024.

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THE HOWLERS I Need Your Love (indie)
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WILLS AND THE WILLING Scuffed Knees (Smash & Grab Music Ltd)
READY THE PRINCE Still Believe (indie)
CICADASTONE Last In Line (indie)

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12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
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