Review: Fay Lamour – ‘Blue To Yellow’
Fay Lamour lets herself take centre stage and start realising her true potential in her sophomore EP Blue to Yellow.
By Daniel Lückhoff-Wessels
Published Monday, 20 July 2020 09:11
Where her debut offering Forty Second Street - which hinted at the songstress’ talent - was let down by insecurity, Blue to Yellow is filled with confidence in all areas, from Lamour’s vocals right through to the producing – all of which she does herself.
The opening two tracks, ‘Famous Excuses’ and ‘Take Me Back to the Start', are examples of an excellent composition. Within the first 20 seconds of the former, the trumpet-based intro defines what this record is about: taking a blue situation and making the best of it. The rest of the song gives us little samples of what’s to come as the melodies and rhythm all seem to change at will with breath-taking ease.
'Take Me Back to the Start', with its almost other-worldly sax solos, takes the ever-changing nature of the previous track and builds on it, creating a perpetually absorbing sonic landscape while 'Lucy With the Fur' strips things down into a more familiar jazz sound, giving Lamour’s voice space to express itself – something that’s present throughout the EP but is especially noticeable here.
'A Solo Away' is defined by the way it jumps between melancholy and mania from start to end and the title track adds a bit of pop to the mix, taking the preceding jazziness in an unexpected but not unpleasant direction.
Comparatively speaking the final track ‘Miss Lois Long’ doesn’t quite meet the standard that’s been set. It has all the musical playfulness that defines Lamour’s work but doesn’t have the same conviction of the previous tracks but, nonetheless, it does bring the EP to a satisfying close.
If Forty Second Street was Lamour learning how to walk in the music industry then her latest album is her learning how to run. The improvement she’s shown in Blue to Yellow is tangible and now all that remains to be seen is if she’ll learn how to fly.