LITTLE SPARROW – Wishing Tree
aaamusic | On 26, Jan 2015
Talented singer-songwriter and guitarist Katie Ware acquired the name Little Sparrow because she felt it reflected well the music she was trying to create. Her influences include Kate Bush, All About Eve and PJ Harvey and there’s also a mystery and versatility that’s reminiscent of Tori Amos.
Her expressive and colourful debut album Wishing Tree was released on 6th May, 2014 and her band of fine musicians included Jonny Lexus (guitar and vocals), Graham Clark (violin), Sarah Dale (cello and vocals) and Mitch Oldham (drums and percussion).
The uplifting title track ‘Wishing Tree’ is a tender and intimate tale about finding a person with whom one can share dreams, whilst emotive ‘Polly’, about loneliness and desolation, has the delicate plea “come home, the walls are so bare.” Simple but magical ‘By My Side’ is followed by soulful and sensuous ‘The Flame.’
In love song ‘Sending the Message’ Katie’s clear voice flows and soars, as if in flight, and it continues to radiate warmth in the beautiful ‘Struck Gold’ which tells of the joy in finding a special person. ‘The Hunted (A Bear’s Tale)’ is both observant and intriguing. Here the pursued wishes to capture the pursuer, so the hunter and the hunted curiously have their roles reversed. The warning is clear: “Don’t come too close, I can’t control myself.” ‘The Swallow Flies’, which concludes the album, is another delightfully uncluttered track.
These are excellently crafted folk songs about love, lust, hope and sadness, sung with great understanding. If you close your eyes you can almost smell ancient woodland and feel the leaves between your fingers. Wishing Tree is an original and exceptional album. It’s a wondrous and enchanting fairy tale which never loses sight of the earth.
