Carrie Tree
Album: Home To The Invisible
Label: Wild Cedar
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.carrietree.co.uk

Brighton and Hove (Actually) seem to be going through a music boom of a scale that could eclipse similar booms in Manchester, Glasgow and Liverpool over the years and as with those booms it's very much from the ground up, a vibrant music scene driving the creativity as bands and songwriters inspire each other whilst at the same time having a need to ensure that they stand out.

Unlike some of those music booms where it's driven a sound, Brighton and its environs seem to be impacting across a number of styles, though from personal interactions it's mainly been across the more acoustic genres and a more eclectic side of the songwriting medium.

2013 was a bit of a breakthrough year for Carrie Tree, well received appearance on William Green's stage at Glastonbury as well as other festival appearances as well as touring and collaborations with acts as diverse as Duke Special, Carly Simon, Ben Taylor and Martha Tilston.

With the release of "Home To The Invisible", it looks like she has a platform on which to build upon that success. The album was recorded not only in Sussex, but also in Cornwall and South Africa with the latter really seeming to drive her creative juices as tracks "Mama Kita" and "Thousand Days" will attest.

The price that Carrie pays is an album that does, at times, have a disjointed feel, especially where "Sweet Oak Tree" is followed by her take on Portishead's "Glory Box", but that's counteracted by the knowledge that there isn't a weak song on the album. Tree seems to have a flair for songwriting, one that brings out the best of both lyric and melody. "Sweet Oak Tree" has that stripped back feel like there's not one note wasted, whilst other songs are definitely deeper and more lush in their arrangement. All in all it makes "Home To The Invisible" a place that's well worth a visit.

Neil King