:: Clare Bowditch & the Feeding Set - What Was Left

Clare Bowditch & the Feeding Set

The release of this second album by Clare follows a hectic last eighteen months in which her debut album (with her band The Feeding Set) was released. Then there were constant live performances. In a little over twelve months, She’s released her second album. All that while being a busy mother with a young child. There is a deep determination and strong-willed character in Clare Bowditch that should be admired. Better still, although the previous album ‘Autumn Bone’ was of a good standard, this new album is much better structured as far as the depth and textures are concerned. The emotional intensity is there – heartfelt songs of despair and grief – but the uplifting thoughts are contained amid the humorous side of Clare’s personality. She leaves one with an open mind. Clare has further developed her all-round music skills and, with excellent support from the Feeding Set, in particular with her husband-drummer of the band, Marty Brown, there are raw and rich edges to the songs to give new status to each song. The variety also allows Clare to express her vocals more strongly than before. Listen for the often-gorgeous sound of the French Horn. It adds much to songs like ‘Starry Picking Night’ and ‘When I Was Five’. Overall, this CD is a terrific progression for the honest and creative singer-songwriter and, now signed to a major label, this could be the push to even better reward for Clare Bowditch. Highly recommended.