Music Review//Sofie Jude - My Elusive Heart
We have to admit that
when we first heard the tag ‘Progressive Rock Opera’ we were scared. Rock and
opera rarely mesh together well – but on this occasion it’s thankfully a
triumph of genre mashing!
With the taut rock
chords of the best harder edged rock and vocals that soar into places that most
rock singer can only dream of this is a record that is at first quite jarring
to the senses. Opener Her Fantasy Land recalls the time when bombastic metal
was in vogue and also asks you to question if it was ever that bad in the first
place.
The piano and unique
vocals mix well and once you forget the genre tags that bind you start to enjoy
it a whole lot more. The same goes for
the whole record as well – its music that is seemingly designed to be performed
on a stage with a hidden orchestra and a virtuoso guitarist with the power to
say much with small sections of chord action. That is no bad thing, either.
The core of Sofie
Jude’s music is, following a good listen, her stunning voice. It is a voice
with gothic undertones that should be out on many more stages being appreciated
by many more people. Just A… proves this
point with a powerful ease – the vocals are notable but it’s also the words
themselves that impress. With a dramatic tone, perfect for the much mocked (and
undeservedly so) rock opera genre the listener may well find themselves
spellbound as the music spreads around.
Notable tracks
include the dramatic Sheer Rage, with a killer chorus to boot, and the powerful
title track – on which the dramatic promise of the album comes to life
superbly. Things may get calmer as the album proceeds to its inevitable end but
there is still a feel of purpose and drama to be found and when the climatic
Carry On Regardless concludes the album the chorus states ‘there wasn’t a day I
would ever take back’ and when you really sink your teeth into the sounds on My
Elusive Heart you really don’t have any regrets.
Seek this beautifully
dark hearted album out and you shall be rewarded with the bright daylight of an
excellent discovery…
Reviewed by Sebastian
Gahan.