After listening to a lot of sludge this week I get to hear a really good album (well mini-album). Hurrah! Chameleon Blues sometimes recalls Fiona Apple, sometimes Chan Marshal and sometimes John Lennon – there are trumpets here, crunchy guitars, scrappy electric guitars, brushed jazzy drums, saxophones, trumpets and whistling, and great tempo changes (like on the Lee Hazelwood-esque ‘Lame Dog’) – but the innovative arrangements never distract from the melodies, vocals and lyrics at the centre of it all. Eight tracks here and all are brilliant. And only now do I notice that she’s Irish. Miriam Ingram, Nina Hynes, Julie Feeney, Cathy Davey and now Rebecca Collins – the female singer songwriters are really carrying the baton this decade. Step up gents.
Key Track: ‘Lame Dog’