Reviews
Artist: Megan Henwood
Album: Making Waves
Label: Dharma
Tracks: 11
Website:http://www.meganhenwood.com/
Alongside her brother Joe, Megan Henwood, won the BBC Radio Young Folk Award in 2009. Part of the prize for winning that competition was an appearance at the Cambridge Folk Festival, which is where I first came across Megan, with her brother playing their own set and also as part of the Brian McNeill Session.
I guess the temptation following a big success is to immediately try and capitalise it by rushing to the studio and releasing an album and it's a testament to so many of the Young Folk Award winners that they don't do that, rather take the time to develop as an artist, rather than sprint off the box and run out of steam.
As a solo artist, Megan did release her debut single in 2009, consisting of two finally crafted acoustic, folk influenced, pop songs, "What Elliot Said", the title track and "Shape And Colour" both songs very strongly hinting at a strong songwriter just coming into her powers.
Both songs are included on Megan's debut album, "Making Waves", an eleven tracker released on Dharma Records. The first thing that strikes you about the album, is the Pre-Raphaelite image on the sleeve, an image very much enhanced by Megan's flaming red hair, looking very much like Rossetti's great muse, Elizabeth Siddell.
The reason that I mention it is that the Pre-Raphaelite movement was very much driven by muses and you can almost feel Henwood channelling a muse. There are a number of songs on the album that seem beyond the world and maturity of a twenty one year old, she is definitely a singer that has grown into her songwriting powers.
One of my favourite songs is "Making Waves" a song essentially about the generation gap, but one that very much moves beyond life's not fair and into we need to take responsibility life can be free and wonderful, but there is a price which has to be paid for which we need to stand up and be counted.
Arguably it's the song that follows it on the album, "Happy Healthy Boy" that really marks out the maturity of Henwood as a writer. The song is about a lost relationship, pretty common ground for singer-songwriters, but it's the phraseology of the song that sets it apart from many of her contemporaries. It's descriptive as well as emotive, you feel you're getting a full three minute story in a song, not just glimpses and yet where she needs to leave mystery and thought, she's more than capable of doing so
If that's starting to make it feel like a dark album, it isn't though it definitely has it moments. Even those dark moments are delivered in a beautifully pure acoustic pop style. There are also the songs of a person getting out and enjoying life, experiencing the joy of being.
The sounds are delicately layered so you can hear the instruments rather than amalgamated into a wall of sound. Brother Joe being included amongst the musicians providing band duties for the album.
By layering the sounds it allows you to get a real feel for the songs and it doesn't take long for you to realise that every song on the album is easily capable of appearing with just voice and guitar, these are songs that Megan has written to be easily switched between solo and band environments.
The time this album was in the making was well spent, Megan's tours and support slots, together with being a highly talented songwriter have delivered an artist that seems ready for and capable of handling the success that deserves to come her way.
Neil King