My opinion of Irish singer-songwriter Wallis Bird generally tends towards “yeah, she’s totally awesome”; perhaps because we’re from the same town and it’s important to support your local scene. Then again, it helps that she’s an amazing performer too; energetic to the point of hyperactivity, she stands out as an impressive live act. Ever since The Sun used her cover of Depeche Mode’s “Just Can’t Get Enough”, her popularity has suddenly taken an impressive boost, and in no time at all Bird has gone from relative obscurity to a string of European dates supporting Rodrigo Y Gabriela.
New album New Boots demonstrates an impressive maturing process that has taken place since the release two years ago of Bird’s debut, Spoons, marking an evolution from small-town singer-songwriter to a potentially world-class performer.
Album opener “Can Opener” is probably the rockiest sound Bird has attempted, employing more instrumentation than could be found anywhere on Spoons, and it just seems to work, demonstrating an impressive strength in her vocals that continues throughout the whole of the album. This is certainly the best that Bird’s vocals have ever sounded; each song feels like she set herself a challenge to see how hoarse she can go without actual laceration to her vocal cords.
The catchy “To My Bones” is one of those songs that inspires a desire to dance regardless of where you are, though in fact it feels like it’s trying to do too much at once; trying just a little too hard to be quirky. It starts with a bluesy edge, quickly progressing to pop, but it’s the strange reggae twist near the end that seems entirely disjointed and weakens the overall effect. “Meal Of Convenience”, meanwhile, is a tacit nod to Brid’s roots as an Irish artist, bringing her accent to the fore with an air reminiscent of the traditional sessions I remember from my childhood. Alongside the rockiness of “Can Opener”, and “Lalaland”’s effortless pop, “Measuring Cities” instead goes for pure unbridled emotion, and a more stripped-back guitar-and-vocals folk sound.
New Boots balances Bird’s talent as a musician with impressive skill as a songwriter, dipping into so many different genres that it’s hard to tell where exactly you are at any given time. It’s an impressive accomplishment, and a definite step forward for a promising Irish act.
Our Verdict:
