Little Dreamer

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Beth Rowley "Little Dreamer"
Singers like Beth Rowley make me grateful that I can hear. This album has the power to heal wounds of the soul and inspire. Blues music taken to another level is exactly what Beth Rowley has achieved. Whatever your generation, I believe this album fits with its easy listening and absolute ageless beauty.

Simply beautiful
One of the best voices of jazz-pop nowadays. I specially recommend "Oh My Life", "Almost Persuaded" and the beautiful "Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground".

A haunting debut that left me wanting more
I was captivated by Beth Rowley's haunting "Nobody's Fault But My Own" on my way home from work (she was featured on NPR), and knew that I had to have more of her smokey, gospel blues-tinged debut Little Dreamer. Roughly half of the album has that hand-waving church vibe that makes you want to sway in place with your eyes closed, caught up in the power of the music. "Only One Cloud" is a moody song that sounds like a field spiritual. Jim Crawford's "When the Rains Came" is fronted by a haunting Dobro with a driving bass that sounds like a Native American dance. "Almost Persuaded" tells the tale of "temptation flowing like wine." The chorus of "You Never Called Me Tonight" has production values that sound like it could have come out of some lost Motown vault, with a sassy, almost funeral-like pounding piano knelling the death of the doomed relationship. But Little Dreamer is multifaceted, and includes covers of Bob Dylan (I Shall Be Released) and Willie Nelson (Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground), along with some upbeat pop. The sweet, slow piano intro to "Sweet Hours" almost sounds like a lost Norah Jones gem as bass and snare step in to pick up the beat, while "So Sublime" flirts with hints of 1960s folk and pop. I wasn't as crazy about "Angel"; Beth's voice wasn't as complementary to the song as on the stronger gospel-influenced tracks. Overall, this is a very promising debut of another undeniably talented British singer-songwriter in the vein of Corinne Bailey Rae, Back to Black and 19 who truly inhabits the smoky, gospel-tinged blues tunes and makes them her own.

A Pleasure
Beth Rowley's "Little Dreamer" is a varied set, distinct because of her lovely vocals. The traditional opener "Nobody's Fault But Mine" is a bluesy dirge that works well. Bob Dylan's classic "I Shall Be Released" is given a reggae beat with Rowley's vocals seeming wistful. "Only One Cloud" hangs on a simple refrain, "The weather man said it could change, but it looks like the dark cloud is here to stay." "Oh My Life" is an original melody with Ben Castle's sax teasing throughout. The set concludes with gospel traditional tune "Beautiful Tomorrow." Rowley's first set is varied and works well. She's certainly got an excellent set of pipes, which makes this a pleasure. Enjoy!

Can't wait for more cd's with this wonderful voice and style.
I've never done a review, but I notice this cd is not now for sale. It would be a real disservice to not keep listeners aware of Beth. Her voice surprised me; closest thing to my all-time favorite Eva Cassidy.