Lucy Zirins
Album: Chasing Clocks
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.lucyzirins.com

Lucy Zirins, from Burnley in Lancashire, is something of a prodigy. She first picked up a guitar at the age of 12, when she inherited one from her beloved late Uncle who was learning to play. Lucy says that she wanted to learn to play in order to keep his memory alive. By the age of 15, Lucy was awarded the Sam Mitchell scholarship for slide guitar, for which she received a week's tuition from Michael Messer. Lucy subsequently appeared on stage with Michael and legendary bluesman Louisiana Red [which I personally witnessed], an experience which Lucy says she will never forget.

By the time she was 16, Lucy had made her first EP and had appeared at the Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival at Colne. She has performed at Colne every year since then, as well as at numerous other festivals both in Britain and Europe.

In 2012, Lucy was runner-up in the British Young Artist category at the British Blues Awards and won the Best Newcomer award in the Blues Matters Writers' Poll. In the same year, Lucy decided to leave her day job to become a full-time musician. Since then she has been working on her debut album "Chasing Clocks" with her mentor Michael Messer in the producer's chair.

All twelve songs on the album are self-written by Lucy who says that she wants "to write good strong songs that make people feel something -I want to leave a stamp on peoples' hearts the way Eva Cassidy, Aretha Franklin and Carole King all did on mine". The comparison with Eva Cassidy is quite apt as Lucy ploughs a similar furrow to the late, great American singer, in that she combines the blues with soul, folk and country influences. Another useful point of reference would be Norah Jones.

The album has a warm, organic feel to it thanks to the fact that it was recorded [at Liam Watson's ToeRag Studios in London] using only analogue equipment. In fact, no computers or digital equipment were used until after the analogue mastering was complete. The tracks were also recorded live in the studio, with minimal overdubs.

As well as Lucy's own guitar, the album features a number of leading session musicians, including pedal steel legend BJ Cole.

Notwithstanding that Lucy is still only twenty years of age, her songwriting displays an astonishing maturity and confidence which belie her youth. Lucy is equally at home writing songs of heartbreak [ "Separate Ways", "Tearing Me Down" [with lovely pedal steel from B J Cole] and "Hours to Waste"] as well as songs of hope for the future [ "One Day Soon" and "Wake Me"] to songs of love ["Morning Light" and "The Last One" which again features the excellent B J Cole ].

Perhaps the most affecting song is the album's closing track, "Goodnight" which was written about a musician who burned out too quickly and died too young.

In conclusion, this is an album of considerable maturity from a young artist who is clearly going places. I am sure that we will hear much more of Lucy Zirins in the near future.

Peter Cowley