Vikki Clayton – Looking At The Stars (AND CD50)

FOR a while there I thought she’d blown it.

Coming to Looking At The Stars off the back of her last album, the mighty Movers and Shakers, it’s possibly the case that I was expecting to be blown away by the latest from one of England’s best female voices on the first hearing.

I should have known better.

The first play-through was pleasant enough – Clayton’s clear-as-a-bell vocals, some nice melodies, good playing and bright, but warm, production – but nothing that really grabbed the attention straight off.

The second listen showed up elements missed first time out – the subtleties of Clayton’s phrasing, the infectious doo-doo-doos of The Ballad of Pearl and Deene and the understated quality of the playing of the musicians she has selected to help her out.

The third outing had me dangling – hook, line and sinker.

Following good practice, Clayton has chosen to open the album with its most immediate song, These Are My People, relating to the true story of a friend of hers who was taken back to his native Nigeria, after years in England, and learnt to love the country of his roots.

Musically it sets the tone of the album, featuring regular Clayton sidekicks Chris Conway on kalimba and the bass-playing of Fred T Baker. Alongside are former Steeleye Span drummer Liam Genockey and keyboard wiz Spencer Cozens.

Cozens has recently lent his considerable skills to albums by David Hughes and Jacqui McShee’s Pentangle, and, if I have one niggle with this album it’s that his influence does, on occasion, make it sound like a Pentangle record. No bad thing, y’understand, just not what I’d imagine Clayton was trying to achieve.

Track two is a gentle song concerning most song-writers’ favourite topic. Last Love has a haunting refrain and lovely chorus in which Clayton implores: “Let me be the last one that you love”.

Shackleton’s Song was inspired by one of Clayton’s heroes, the Antarctic expeditionist, and details how the sea was constantly calling him. Baker’s bass dances a mesmerising two-step around the melody, lending the song another dimension to that created by Cozens’ keys and the guitars of Clayton and Conway.

The Ballad of Pearl and Deene is a more sprightly affair, chronicling a woman’s love of a bad lad; she ends up alone when he’s eventually sent down for his crimes but, as Clayton tells us, the woman was aware of what she was getting herself into: “As she wipes her eyes don’t sympathize – she knew right from wrong.”

Movers and Shakers boasted Sir Hugh of Lincoln as its high point. Stepping into Sir Hugh’s shoes here is Anne of Lochroyan, an 11-minute tour de force of an historical ballad showing off Genockey’s mastery of the kit to telling effect.

There really isn’t a duffer among the 13 tracks here, all written by Clayton – and I’ve not even mentioned the excellent title track! – and she sings like an angel and plays a mean guitar, too.

Mark Tucker’s production enhances his growing reputation behind the mixing desk and his guitar-playing on The Awakening shows he’s not afraid to venture out beyond the glass when required.

Okay, so I may have had my head in the clouds the first time I listened to Looking At The Stars but the best albums are usually those that grow slowly, organically, rather than those that put all their goods on show at once.

On that footing, Looking At The Stars – due for release on June 25 and available from shops or via the website at www.anewdayrecords.co.uk – will be a regular on my stereo for a long time to come.

Fred Hall