ROBBIE BOYD – Painted Sky
aaamusic | On 27, Jul 2013
Robbie Boyd grew up listening at the great names of classical rock Bod Dylan, Paul Simon and The Beatles just to mention a couple; he started busking on the streets of London and in the tube stations until he managed to perform on important national stage and music festivals such as Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Hyde Park, Bestival and and the Wilderness Festival.
His latest EP Painted Sky mixes his songwriter skills with a fusion of folk, jazz and pop; first track is the joyous ‘I Want you to Stay‘ that has something of the Disney’s animated films The Little Mermaid and The Lion King, an optimistic and pure spirit that will lift your mood; it is an energetic tune where the instruments are fully explored and give back a danceable music; Robbie‘s voice is backed up by a lively and powerful choir. ‘Before It Falls Apart‘ gives back a similar feeling, with bitter lyrics.
The pace slows down little bit with ‘Oh Alaska‘; the voice is at its best accompanied by a melancholic guitar and a nostalgic keyboard, before the rhythm picks up when the trumpets start blowing.
With ‘Red Queen‘, a slow intro leads to a burst of instruments but you can’t shake the gloomier mood; Robbie shows that he has not only a pretty voice but he knows how to master his instrument and get the best out of it.
Robbie Boyd plays with a band of seven elements: Adam Fletcher (keyboard and vocals), Hew Benyon (drums), Simon Fitzpatrick (bass), Mared Evans (violin and vocals), Russel Smith (mandolin and electric guitar), Mike Newman (trumpet, percussions and vocals) and Cat Marshall (saxophone and clarinet); they toured in Argentina, France and Italy and opened as headliner last 3rd July at the Bush Hall in London where they also presented their new EP.
Monica Guerrasio
