Jules Winchester - A Stranger in Your Home Town

by Nick Dent-Robinson

published: 5 / 10 / 2013

Jules Winchester - A Stranger in Your Home Town

Label: Longman Records
Format: CD

Superb first professionally produced album from Sussex-based singer-songwriter, Jules Winchester

Review

From the very first notes on this album - played as the introduction to the title track by multi-instrumentalist Richard Durrant on an exotic Paraguayan harp – it is evident this record is special and delightfully different. Jules Winchester's first self-produced album, 'Something in Those Eyes', was impressive and attracted much acclaim. But this second release has taken Jules to a whole new level. How wise she was to take the advice of Sam Brown and choose Richard Durrant as her collaborator. Richard is one of the most respected session players and producers, comfortable playing any guitar, banjo, bass, cello, harp, mandolin, ukulele, harpsichord, piano, accordion, Hammond or percussion. And on this album he uses most of these skills to stunning effect. His help with arrangements, his production values and his use of six other superb backing vocalists and musicians has worked brilliantly. Though Jules has retained her distinctive, expressive country-influenced style as the lead singer and all Richard's efforts have merely enhanced her performance of her own cleverly crafted songs without ever intruding – which is exactly as it should be. And the quality of Jules's writing is really something! There are a lot of stand-out tracks here. Probably my favourite is 'The Day Has Come', a bittersweet love lament with a beautiful acoustic arrangement featuring guitar and accordian. 'Soul' has some attractive vocal harmonies and on 'Sweet Madness' Durrant's cello and mandolin provides the perfect melancholic colouring to a very beautiful melody and poignant lyric. But throughout the album, the combination of fine musicianship with Jules's attractive vocal delivery and the expert arrangements of her very fine songs, just works so well. Jules has been writing and singing around her native Sussex for over 20 years. She really is long overdue for big success - and, if there's any justice, 'A Stranger in Your Home Town' will achieve this for her. After all, they do say that good things come to those who wait.

Track Listing:-

1 A Stranger in Your Home Town
2 Down By the River
3 The Day Has Come
4 Together
5 Twenty Odd Years
6 Something in Those Eyes
7 I Don't
8 Soul
9 Sweet Madness
10 Take Me Back
11 If You Were Mine
12 Down By the River (Acoustic Version)