Lisa Hannigan: 'Sea Sew'
Rising to prominence as the beautiful female voice behind Damien Rice, Lisa Hannigan has branched out on her own with her highly anticipated solo album Sea Sew. Stepping into the limelight for the first time, the songstress has lost none of her charm and, as well as maintaining her folk-based influences, has also moved in directions of her own. Backing vocals no more, Lisa Hannigan has arrived.
With her delicate and instantly identifiable voice, every song appears effortless and sounds irresistible. “Pistachio” saunters gently along with it's lazy drum beat, muted trumpet and sparkly piano while Hannigan's voice finishes the ensemble with it's pure tone and perfect range. As a jazz song it is both effective and charming, making the foot tap almost of it's own accord. “Splishy Splashy” continues very much in the Damien Rice style but with an individual element nonetheless. A finger picked guitar sets the mood with a gentle whisper taking the limelight. The vocal harmonies are spot on, adding several layers but without intruding on the melody. Although a downbeat song it is by no means depressive, a marked difference from Mr Rice. The comparisons between the two will no doubt eventually frustrate Hannigan, but there is enough evidence in the intricate details of this album that she will soon be held in high esteem of her own accord.
It is these flashes of ingenuity and individuality that appeal so much. “I Don't Know” sees a rapid 2/2 drumbeat and an upbeat trumpet melody transform a seemingly simplistic song into a rounded and full sound. There is evidently vast music knowledge in it's creation, and the result is a euphoric mix of instruments, harmonies and a soaring melody. Hannigan evidently knows that simplicity has it's uses from her days with the aforementioned songwriter, but her own approach is simply wonderful. The simplistic element is still very much present, with “Teeth” starting slow and building to a climactic finish with nothing more than a simple drum beat and a violin for accompaniment. Not enough can be said about her voice, as it effortlessly glides from high to low note, contained with such feeling and emotion. “Lille” continues very much in the same vein, with a xylophone and some staccato strings providing the carriage for the vocal melody to take centre stage, once again to astonishingly high standards.
The fact is that the songs on Sea Sew cannot help but make you smile. They are filled with such beauty and emotion that they become transfixing, a notable achievement for a largely acoustic album. “Venn Diagram” provides yet another example of such song writing. A simple, plodding acoustic guitar eases the track into Hannigan's voice, once again note perfect. It is the structure and creation of the song that envelops the listener, with the addition of strings and a subtle drumbeat making it impossible to lose interest. There is always something to listen to in a Lisa Hannigan song, and it is always well thought out and well executed.
To come out from the shadows of such an esteemed act have no doubt brought with it high levels of pressure and expectation, yet Hannigan has brushed all this aside and created an album that not only showcases her marvellous voice, but also her musical knowledge and song writing ability. As debut albums go, Sea Sew is nothing short of magnificent and will no doubt go on to be one of the year's success stories.
Words: Dan Grose
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