Chrissy Coughlin creates a sturdy unpretentious form of RocknPop, utilizing ingredients from rich country music stews and satisfyingly deep rhythm 'n' blues concoctions.
In the tradition of artists like Bonnie Raitt, she creates polished yet also gritty chart friendly tunes, which remain honest, revealing, and perceptive. She is not afraid to share/show the fragile (‘'Honestly’') and roll out punching with the restrained anger of '‘Watch Your Step’' or offer up her love unconditionally (the title track) this latter tune specially stands out and is destined to be a much needed non cynical summer hit, playing from car radios across the nation.
Elsewhere Coughlin explores the hidden darker fears of a bright city, the loneliness of the religious fanatic and what she calls the ‘’excess in our society’’ while never having to resort to cliché or brooding angst. Talking about summer, the opening track, ’'Back To You’' was written to be a blast of bright windswept rock, meant for daughter, mothers, and distant cousins to dance to, and with a less attuned writer, could have drifted sadly into MOR safety.
That it still manages to thrill is a tribute to the soul of this composer and her producer. Look out too, for the driving somewhat bluesy cover of Robert Plant’s, ’'Big Log’' which adds a sweetly harmonic and female slant to the steamy original, although its inclusion here is not at all necessary, her originals will capture the listener (be it thoughtful truck driver, or thrilled business man on mental leave from the daily grind.) This is big shiny music equally at home in glossy brooding dayglo jukeboxes and pulsing intimate from personal players during those times we just want to be alone and rescued at the very same time.
Find out more at her official website, and hear tracks from this release at the Next Big Thing site.
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