Elles Bailey-Shining In The Half Light Deluxe Edition-Album Review-Planetmosh

Set all your calendars, mobile phones etc to March 17th 2023 as the self proclaimed “Elles Bailey, the smokey voiced, human dynamo” releases her Shining In The Half Light Deluxe Edition, to coincide with a full headlining tour to promote it.

Basically it’s the original album released in February 2022 but with an added two new originals, two covers and five tracks Live At The Pool.

This amazing album kicks off with ‘Cheats And Liars’ that oozes along on a pace akin to walking through quicksand as laid back grooves and a menacing lead vocal from Elles add to the eerie vibes.

‘The Game’ has a jabbing main riff that propels this hard rocker down the track. A put up or shut up lead vocal is delivered with a slight snarl for a warning you dare not ignore. Choruses are bitter sweet and it ends on doo wop like handclaps.

‘Stones’ is a sultry ballad but with balls as serrating guitar lines dominate but leave room for sublime Americana to make it finger picking good!

Strangely enough I got a vibe off ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ by Wings throughout ‘Colours Start To Run’. Tears could start to run via a heartbreaking vocal that aches with emotion, ending on a deft guitar solo.

An old saying of “Silence is almost deafening” applies to the beautiful ‘Different Kind Of Love’. It’s a shimmering song as a spotlight stealing vocal is backed by soothing keyboards and sparse percussion.

‘Who’s That’ is soaked in gospel vibes for another song that tugs at the heartstrings.

‘Sunshine City’ is a bonafide dancefloor filler so it’s time to bust some moves, re-string that air guitar for some barroom boogie and slide guitar overload drives it over the finish line.

‘Halfway House’ is an ethereal five minutes of sunshine kissed soul as once again, nirvana is reached by angelic gospel tinged backing vocals and a tour de force lead vocal.

‘Riding Out The Storm’ is a jaunty finger clicking jig of bouncy grooves, sweeping keyboards, more gospel beauty and a sassy, classy lead vocal that lives up to the song title in the full on outro!

Time seemed to stand still whilst listening to ‘Shining In The Half Light’ as this magnum opus commands your full attention. Luscious rhythms ebb and flow along to melt the coldest heart as a haunting midsection gives way for a stuttering outro.

‘Spinning Stopped’, first of the two new songs is a feelgood slice of fleeting folk that mesmerises to blow the clouds away to bring some early summer sunshine from gently picked acoustic guitar.

‘Hole In My Pocket’, second new song and the first single taken from the album soars skywards from the off on rambling rhythms and strong bass guitar. A crazy final minute meltdown of gnarly guitar inducing heavy metal caught me off my guard.

A cover of ‘Over The Hill’ by John Martyn is far from over the hill as it’s not only a party starter but the last ones to leave due to slinky rhythms that are impossible to ignore.

The second cover here is the John Fogerty classic ‘Long As I See The Light’. It takes some bravery to tackle this song but Elles emerges with head held high, capturing the intensity of the original to make for my album highlight.

The album closes on the five tracks recorded ‘Live At The Pool’, my favourite being ‘The Game’. It’s a rawer take on the original recording as the main riff cuts like a knife, choruses are stronger so singing along to them is mandatory.

Pre-release links to the album and other info are here :- I https://linktr.ee/ellesbailey I http://ellesbailey.com I https://www.facebook.com/ellesbailey I https://www.instagram.com/EllesBailey/ I https://twitter.com/EllesBailey

Shining In The Half Light Deluxe Edition album track listing :-

Cheats And Liars.

The Game.

Stones.

Colours Start To Run.

Different Kind Of Love.

Who’s That.

Sunshine City.

Halfway House.

Riding Out The Storm.

Shining In The Half Light.

Spinning Stopped. (new song).

Hole In My Pocket (new song).

Over The Hill (John Martyn cover).

Long As I See The Light (John Fogerty cover).

Halfway House (Live At The Pool).

Riding Out The Storm (Live At The Pool).

Stones (Live At The Pool).

The Game (Live At The Pool).

Sunshine City (Live At The Pool).