If you’re looking for a last minute Christmas gift, you could do a lot worse than buy a loved one a bit of Sheridan Smith’s irresistible Northern Soul.
“You bring the music and I’ll bring the songs and we’ll sing them”
The music industry being as it is, it is impressive that anyone can make a breakthrough impact with an album but Sheridan Smith managed just that last with with her debut record Sheridan – the second best selling UK female debut. That collection explored her theatrical background as much as her love of music but on her second album A Northern Soul, released last month, she presents nothing but original songs.
It’s a bold move but one that pays off handsomely with this confident and characterful suite of songs. From the bright and perky energy of the opening title track to the modern twist on the torch song that is ‘The One’ to the slinky purr of ‘Don’t Beg For Love’, there’s a soulful warmth that is hard to resist, recalling the likes of Dusty Springfield with its nostalgic sheen. But even with that, you never lose sight of Smith in the music, she puts herself first and foremost.
The gorgeously tender lament of ‘Are You Just Sleeping’ is full of the emotional candour that we’ve come to appreciate from her as she experiences loss in the public eye. ‘Why Can’t I Fall In Love?’ similarly tips a wink to incessant headlines that seek to minimise her undoubted talents, particularly as she celebrates the joy of music in ‘Remedy in the Melody’. If you’re looking for a last minute Christmas gift, you could do a lot worse than buy a loved one a bit of Sheridan’s irresistible Northern Soul.
