THIS WEEK I’M LISTENING TO...LOUISE PATRICIA CRANE – Netherworld (Peculiar Doll Records)

Capacious and hugely ambitious, Louise Patricia Crane’s second album ‘Netherworld’ sees the Belfast-born singer stretching her talent far beyond the confines of its predecessor, 2020’s ‘Deep Blue’. Whereas that – albeit stunning – debut seemed quite introspective and deeply personal, on ‘Netherworld’ Louise has pushed herself even further into a world of mystery and fantasy, creating on the journey an hour’s worth of diverse and spellbinding musical romances.

photo by Carrie Davenport

Once more she’s joined by her musical kindred spirit Jakko M. Jakszyk who chips in with a variety of instrumentation – guitar, mellotron and piano, to name a few – when she’s not playing them herself. To further the progressive credentials Ian Anderson again provides the flute in the musical whimsy that is ‘Tiny Bard’ (a tribute to her cat, Bosco, with the flautist conjuring up mental images of the pet at play); Mel Collins – a name on many an album credit – plays sax on the title track, and the well-travelled Shir-Ran Yinon adds violin to a handful of cuts. But atop all this talent the overall magic comes from Louise herself, a visionary songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose compositions evoke a wide range of imagery and emotions, and whose expressive and sensual vocals breathe life into the songs and makes them fly. And while comparisons to the ingenuity of Kate Bush are inevitable, as songs like ‘Bête Noir’ and the following ‘Long Kiss Goodnight’ ably illustrate Louise has already carved her own path as she follows her heart on her very own magical mystery tour.

photo by Carrie Davenport

Intriguing and beguiling, with its atmosphere of ambiguity and deeply intricate material, ‘Netherworld’ is a slow-burner. It’s certainly not an album you can get the measure of in just one sitting, and opening with the lengthy and multi-faceted ‘Dance With The Devil’ is a challenging yet ultimately rewarding move. ‘Netherworld’ refuses to be rushed, unhurriedly revealing its charm and passion, and the more time you give to it the more you’ll get from it.

Video clips:
‘Dance With The Devil’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4hHChjSppY
‘Celestial Dust’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM-MjitTq2Q
‘Tiny Bard’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQsqMbmZsxU

John Tucker June 2024