BWW Reviews: LOVE, LIES & LYRICS: THE WORDS OF LESLEY ROSS

By: Apr. 21, 2015
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Renowned lyricist Lesley Ross is celebrated in SimG Records latest album - Love, Lies & Lyrics. Featuring songs from several shows that Ross has contributed to with different composers, the recording gives us a variety of musical styles to enjoy. It is like putting your iPod on shuffle, not knowing what will come up next! Admittedly I don't tend to do this with the musical theatre recordings I have on my iPod because sometimes stand-out numbers do not have the same effect out of context. However I don't really mind in this case as the storytelling within the songs are powerful enough to set the scene for you; credit to Ross' writing.

In every number on the album, there is a strong marriage between the words and the music. When talking about the recording, the whole 'chicken or the egg' scenario is addressed about what came first. Ross claims that each composer that he worked with dealt with this differently and therefore there is no set method. Due to the strong sense of togetherness, you could be forgiven in thinking that they are handled in the same way.

Many of the songs on the 25-track album are like bitesize morsels that leave you wanting more. They are succinct and perfectly formed without being overly complex. There's plenty of wit, emotion and playfulness throughout; making Ross and the various composers incredibly versatile. The delivery of the lyrics is incredibly important and the selection of vocalists chosen do this superbly. There are classic ballads such as 'Song for Someone' sung by the stunning Annalene Beechey and 'I Will Be There' performed beautifully by Madalena Alberto; tongue-and-cheek and clever lyrics found in 'The Taste of All Them Children' along with Latin influences in 'Him in 23B' and 'Living Like Lesbians'. These are only a few elements crammed into this album that just keeps on giving.

Love, Lies & Lyrics: The Words of Lesley Ross is released on 11th May 2015 and can be purchased from www.simgproductions.com.


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