Alexia Coley |
Keep The Faith
|
Alexia Coley — Keep The Faith
λΓλ Její hudba má klasickou soul&jazz atmosféru, ale s vkladem dívky, která vyrostla kolem Ladbroke Grove* a je vidět, jaký vliv má na lidi moderní Londýn. Její písně jsou nadčasové, ale stále se týkají dětí vyrůstajících právě teď, bez zásadních kořenů a ona může být stejně často vklíněna mezi rappery a DJ–e, ne tedy zákonitě jako lineup jazzových hráčů na Ronnie Scotts (http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/).
λΓλ Alexia Coley is a singer and songwriter from West London. Her sound is a modern twist on classic soul and her debut album was released in October 2014.
λΓλ ALEXIA COLEY LIVE AT 229 THE VENUE LONDON ~ 29 OCTOBER 2014 © Warren J Fox, Alexia Coley Ð East London, London UK, May 2012 COPYRIGHT OF THIS IMAGES REMAINS WITH PHOTOGRAPHER AT ALL TIMES. Alexia Coley © Warren J Fox; London UK λΓλ
Location: West London, UK
Album release: October 6, 2014
Record Label: Jalapeño
Duration: 43:25
Tracks:
01. Drive Me Wild 3:48
02. Beautiful Waste Of Time (Smoove Remix) 4:01
03. Something's Going Down 3:19
04. Without You 2:36
05. Jekyll & Hyde 2:53
06. Dreaming 3:11
07. I Like A Drink 3:34
08. Promised You'd Be There 3:09
09. Mr Shady 3:28
10. Missing You 2:52
11. Love At First Sight 3:06
12. A Picture Speaks 3:50
13. Keep The Faith 3:38
℗ 2014 Jalapeño Records
λΓλ ""Though 'Keep The Faith' is Alexia Coley's debut solo album, she's been on the London soul scene for a couple of years and three limited edition singles have found their way onto the playlists of BBC Radio 2, Six Music and BBC London. Live, the Ladbroke Grove lass has played the Big Chill Festival and clubs like The Paradise, Mau Mau .... even Ronnie Scotts. Musically she ploughs a groove that melds soul, jazz and pop — though the emphasis is strongly on "pop".
λΓλ Hear that cocktail at its best on the set's opener, 'Drive Me Wild'. Ultra catchy, it was wisely chosen as the lead single. 'Beautiful Waste Of Time' offers more of the same. This one's an urgent driver with great parping brass, à la Daptone and a lively sax break. It would be easy to make comparison with Amy Winehouse, but dropping Alexia's sassy vocals over a soundscape like that and the link is inevitable. There are more Amy soundalikes on the beater, 'Love At First Sight' and the moody, melancholy ballad 'Without You'. Much less derivative is the album's other big ballad, 'Missing You'. This one's plaintive, dramatic and unexpected and an album highlight.
λΓλ 'Promised You'd Be Here' is another unexpected inclusion. This one goes way back to the pre–soul era and sort of mashes the old 30's song 'Why Not Take All Of Me' with Jackie Wilson's 'Reet Petite'. Blues-based cuts like 'I Like A Drink' and the album's title cut offer real variety and given the title of that title tune, there just has to be some reference to Northern soul. There are in fact two attempts to recreate the energy and spirit of "Northern". Tunes in question are the bright and breezy 'Dreaming' and the jaunty 'Mr Shady' but though pleasant, neither quite nail the magic of real Northern soul. Modern singers and their producers need to learn that there's more to proper Northern soul than racing beats, biting guitars, tinkling tambourines and sharp snares. There's an indefinable element that denizens of the Twisted Wheel, the Torch, the Casino or the Blackpool Mecca can identity at 100 paces. Clearly Ms Coley and her team were never in that lucky crew. Still, they pay their honest homage to the genre and hopefully one day might discover the real thing.
λΓλ In essence that's what's going on here. This album pays homage to soul's golden age without being a proper a soul album. Each track has a little something of the past about it — a familiar riff, a drum roll, a melody line — but they're infused with 21st century pop sensibilities. I guess there's nothing wrong with that. Dear Amy W made a name for herself doing just that and who can blame Alexia C for trying more of the same."
In french:
λΓλ Un bon premier album de cette jeune Londonienne, une voix accrocheuse et agréable, des influences multiples à chercher dans les années '50 et surtout '60 (rhythm'n'blues, soul, jazz, pop) (Merci à El Céher pour cette découverte!)
BIOG:
λΓλ Alexia Coley is a girl who has been preparing her whole life for what 2014 has to offer. Her background as a big band jazz singer and then as lead singer for West London crew The Rotten Hill Gang has prepared her for the big stage and when opportunity knocks she always answers.
λΓλ Although she has played to tens of thousands of people while fronting other peoples bands it was only when she won the Big Chill Festival competition for a chance to play the huge Revellers stage at the festival that she started to become widely known for her solo work.
λΓλ Plenty of industry figures saw her show that day and as soon as she came off stage she was asked to play an impromptu second set in the backstage VIP. The Jalapeno Records crew were in the audience that day and started a pursuit of her signature that lasted over a year.
λΓλ Although her future label only discovered her that day, you could ask anyone in the West London live music scene and they all would know exactly who she was. Whether playing resident gigs at The Paradise and Mau Mau, wowing huge crowds at Notting Hill Carnival as part of Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues sound system or fronting shows for Rotten Hill gang alongside The Clash’s Mick Jones — when people saw Alexia sing they remembered it.
λΓλ Her music has a classic soul and jazz vibe but with the edge of a girl who has grown up round Ladbroke Grove and seen what effect modern day London has on people. Her songs are timeless but still relate to kids growing up right now and she can just as often be found sandwiched between a rapper and a DJ on the bill as a line–up of jazz players at Ronnie Scotts.
λΓλ Her voice is one that could rank among the greats with songs that are a mixture of uplifting good time soul and slow emotive torch songs delivered with a style that comes from having a family with show business in the blood — her mother Ethel Coley having been a famous stage performer in her day.
λΓλ When Alexia plays live with her band you can see a light come on as she walks on stage. She knows it is exactly where she is supposed to be and that now is her time. Her band are tight — a crack crew of young musicians who are excited to play and be part of the phenomenon that is happening right before their eyes.
λΓλ Her track Keep the Faith got its first national airplay last month supported by Craig Charles on his funk and soul show but it’s clear this is just the beginning. With her album nearly recorded expect 2014 and her live diary filling up expect Alexia Coley to emerge as one of the UK’s leading soul stars.
Website: http://www.alexiacoley.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexiaColey
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Alexiacoleymusic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexiacoley
Press:
Contact:
:: Label, Licensing, Bookings & General Enquiries — / Notes: Ladbroke Grove*
Ulice je pojmenována po Jamesi Weller Ladbroke (zemřel 16.března 1847), který vyvinul Ladbroke Estate v polovině devatenáctého století, do té doby převážně venkovské oblasti na západním okraji Londýna.
______________________________________________________
Alexia Coley |
Keep The Faith |
Alexia Coley — Keep The Faith
λΓλ Její hudba má klasickou soul&jazz atmosféru, ale s vkladem dívky, která vyrostla kolem Ladbroke Grove* a je vidět, jaký vliv má na lidi moderní Londýn. Její písně jsou nadčasové, ale stále se týkají dětí vyrůstajících právě teď, bez zásadních kořenů a ona může být stejně často vklíněna mezi rappery a DJ–e, ne tedy zákonitě jako lineup jazzových hráčů na Ronnie Scotts (http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/).
λΓλ Alexia Coley is a singer and songwriter from West London. Her sound is a modern twist on classic soul and her debut album was released in October 2014.
λΓλ ALEXIA COLEY LIVE AT 229 THE VENUE LONDON ~ 29 OCTOBER 2014 © Warren J Fox, Alexia Coley Ð East London, London UK, May 2012 COPYRIGHT OF THIS IMAGES REMAINS WITH PHOTOGRAPHER AT ALL TIMES. Alexia Coley © Warren J Fox; London UK λΓλ
Location: West London, UK
Album release: October 6, 2014
Record Label: Jalapeño
Duration: 43:25
Tracks:
01. Drive Me Wild 3:48
02. Beautiful Waste Of Time (Smoove Remix) 4:01
03. Something's Going Down 3:19
04. Without You 2:36
05. Jekyll & Hyde 2:53
06. Dreaming 3:11
07. I Like A Drink 3:34
08. Promised You'd Be There 3:09
09. Mr Shady 3:28
10. Missing You 2:52
11. Love At First Sight 3:06
12. A Picture Speaks 3:50
13. Keep The Faith 3:38
℗ 2014 Jalapeño Records
λΓλ ""Though 'Keep The Faith' is Alexia Coley's debut solo album, she's been on the London soul scene for a couple of years and three limited edition singles have found their way onto the playlists of BBC Radio 2, Six Music and BBC London. Live, the Ladbroke Grove lass has played the Big Chill Festival and clubs like The Paradise, Mau Mau .... even Ronnie Scotts. Musically she ploughs a groove that melds soul, jazz and pop — though the emphasis is strongly on "pop".
λΓλ Hear that cocktail at its best on the set's opener, 'Drive Me Wild'. Ultra catchy, it was wisely chosen as the lead single. 'Beautiful Waste Of Time' offers more of the same. This one's an urgent driver with great parping brass, à la Daptone and a lively sax break. It would be easy to make comparison with Amy Winehouse, but dropping Alexia's sassy vocals over a soundscape like that and the link is inevitable. There are more Amy soundalikes on the beater, 'Love At First Sight' and the moody, melancholy ballad 'Without You'. Much less derivative is the album's other big ballad, 'Missing You'. This one's plaintive, dramatic and unexpected and an album highlight.
λΓλ 'Promised You'd Be Here' is another unexpected inclusion. This one goes way back to the pre–soul era and sort of mashes the old 30's song 'Why Not Take All Of Me' with Jackie Wilson's 'Reet Petite'. Blues-based cuts like 'I Like A Drink' and the album's title cut offer real variety and given the title of that title tune, there just has to be some reference to Northern soul. There are in fact two attempts to recreate the energy and spirit of "Northern". Tunes in question are the bright and breezy 'Dreaming' and the jaunty 'Mr Shady' but though pleasant, neither quite nail the magic of real Northern soul. Modern singers and their producers need to learn that there's more to proper Northern soul than racing beats, biting guitars, tinkling tambourines and sharp snares. There's an indefinable element that denizens of the Twisted Wheel, the Torch, the Casino or the Blackpool Mecca can identity at 100 paces. Clearly Ms Coley and her team were never in that lucky crew. Still, they pay their honest homage to the genre and hopefully one day might discover the real thing.
λΓλ In essence that's what's going on here. This album pays homage to soul's golden age without being a proper a soul album. Each track has a little something of the past about it — a familiar riff, a drum roll, a melody line — but they're infused with 21st century pop sensibilities. I guess there's nothing wrong with that. Dear Amy W made a name for herself doing just that and who can blame Alexia C for trying more of the same."
In french:
λΓλ Un bon premier album de cette jeune Londonienne, une voix accrocheuse et agréable, des influences multiples à chercher dans les années '50 et surtout '60 (rhythm'n'blues, soul, jazz, pop) (Merci à El Céher pour cette découverte!)
BIOG:
λΓλ Alexia Coley is a girl who has been preparing her whole life for what 2014 has to offer. Her background as a big band jazz singer and then as lead singer for West London crew The Rotten Hill Gang has prepared her for the big stage and when opportunity knocks she always answers.
λΓλ Although she has played to tens of thousands of people while fronting other peoples bands it was only when she won the Big Chill Festival competition for a chance to play the huge Revellers stage at the festival that she started to become widely known for her solo work.
λΓλ Plenty of industry figures saw her show that day and as soon as she came off stage she was asked to play an impromptu second set in the backstage VIP. The Jalapeno Records crew were in the audience that day and started a pursuit of her signature that lasted over a year.
λΓλ Although her future label only discovered her that day, you could ask anyone in the West London live music scene and they all would know exactly who she was. Whether playing resident gigs at The Paradise and Mau Mau, wowing huge crowds at Notting Hill Carnival as part of Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues sound system or fronting shows for Rotten Hill gang alongside The Clash’s Mick Jones — when people saw Alexia sing they remembered it.
λΓλ Her music has a classic soul and jazz vibe but with the edge of a girl who has grown up round Ladbroke Grove and seen what effect modern day London has on people. Her songs are timeless but still relate to kids growing up right now and she can just as often be found sandwiched between a rapper and a DJ on the bill as a line–up of jazz players at Ronnie Scotts.
λΓλ Her voice is one that could rank among the greats with songs that are a mixture of uplifting good time soul and slow emotive torch songs delivered with a style that comes from having a family with show business in the blood — her mother Ethel Coley having been a famous stage performer in her day.
λΓλ When Alexia plays live with her band you can see a light come on as she walks on stage. She knows it is exactly where she is supposed to be and that now is her time. Her band are tight — a crack crew of young musicians who are excited to play and be part of the phenomenon that is happening right before their eyes.
λΓλ Her track Keep the Faith got its first national airplay last month supported by Craig Charles on his funk and soul show but it’s clear this is just the beginning. With her album nearly recorded expect 2014 and her live diary filling up expect Alexia Coley to emerge as one of the UK’s leading soul stars.
Website: http://www.alexiacoley.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexiaColey
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Alexiacoleymusic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexiacoley
Press:
Contact:
:: Label, Licensing, Bookings & General Enquiries — / Notes: Ladbroke Grove*
Ulice je pojmenována po Jamesi Weller Ladbroke (zemřel 16.března 1847), který vyvinul Ladbroke Estate v polovině devatenáctého století, do té doby převážně venkovské oblasti na západním okraji Londýna.
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