The Double Launch:
A joint launch of Paula Wolfe’s new album and book at the Harrison! Paula’s live set of the album will be followed by an In Conversation with MOJO critic and author: Lucy O’Brien. The Single ‘Georgia Blue’ is the first single from Paula Wolfe’s forthcoming third album White Dots (* * * * MOJO): https://paulawolfe.hearnow.com/ In early January 2010, Paula travelled by train from her studio in Norfolk to interview Isabella Summers from Florence and The Machine at Dean Street Studios, Soho for what was then PhD research, now a book: Women in The Studio, Creativity, Control and Gender in Popular Music Production (Routledge) on music production and gender, due for publication June 27. The train back that evening was delayed because the scheduled driver didn’t show up for his shift. Whilst the others passengers expressed their outrage, Paula started to imagine what might have caused the driver’s failure to turn up. The result is Georgia Blue a song described as ,‘That’s Entertainment for the woke generation’ (Travellers Tunes), is about a cross-dressing train driver who, overwhelmed by the need to escape the freezing drudgery of the 6:15 London to Norwich, put on his ‘best dress’ and his ‘highest heels’, determined to paint his ‘grey town, red.’ The Album:Paula Wolfe’s third self-produced album has been hailed ‘exquisite’ (* * * * MOJO).
Her creation and production of this latest ‘collection of songs that combine glorious Brill Building-style chant, jazz drums and lustrous strings’ have positioned her as ‘a latter-day Carole King’(Lucy O’Brien, MOJO). Wolfe’s new array of characters include a cross-dressing train driver who abandons the drudgery of his shift for the glamour of a night club, an ageing bachelor looking for late love online and Mexico City’s street children working its nocturnal streets while their compatriots busk on the Paris Metro on the other side of the world.
All performed with ‘a high clear voice, observational humour and a quiet sense of drama’(LoB), the songs have been described as ‘sweetly addictive’ and in which the ‘flowing arrangements build and drive each track, leading us through a world of broken love, memory and magic realism’ (LoB).
Throughout her career the work of the London and Norfolk based artist-producer has consistently received strong support. This ‘joyful soul pop follow-up’ (LoB)to her highly acclaimed 2009 Lemon (* * * * Mojo, * * * Uncut, * * * Maverick) is no exception. Her ‘crisp warming vocals and swooning production’ have led critics to ‘recall the eloquence of Ray Davies and Paul Weller in their pomp’ (Mike Adams,Travellers Tunes) and to view her as ‘super-smart and keenly observant’and ‘part Kirsty McColl’ with ‘an ear for a subtle tune and a line in compelling storytelling’ (Nick Hutchings,Velvet Sheep).
All are in agreement that this third album confirms Paula Wolfe as ‘mesmeric’(The Guardian Hay Festival), ‘brilliant’ (Sky Arts) and ‘a major talent’(MusicOMH). For more info: www.paulawolfe.co.uk
Tickets £7 adv HERE
Source: The Harrison website