It's not often that a performer can cull together a notable love song from elements as disparate as UFO sightings over the Pembrokeshire coast and Larry David's acerbic character in the cult series 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', yet the enormously talented GEMMA RAY makes it seem like the most natural thing in the world with her new single 'Rise Of The Runts'.
Ray's recent album 'The Leader' has been garnering plaudits all over the place during the course the past few months, and while this writer has yet to properly sink his teeth into it, if there's more of the calibre of 'Rise Of The Runts' it will surely be a pleasure in waiting to behold, because there's certainly something special going down here.
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So what do you get? Well, gentle acoustic guitars, a touch of Christmas in the glockenspiel, a dreamily seductive atmosphere, Gemma's charming, but slightly steely delivery and even a little low-wattage Phil Spector in those tambourines. The end result being an understated treat, pretty much unscathed by the vagaries of pigeonholing. Sure, Gemma's delivery is smoky and lovely and there's a touch of Isobel Campbell, but it's nothing overbearing. What's important is that this is a great song in its' own right and this is one of those occasions when just that really is enough.
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