Elles Bailey: Shining In The Half Light Review

If you like your coffee brewed somewhere between an Americana and the Blues, then Elles Bailey is the caffeine hit (and subsequent burst of dopamine) you need. With a voice smokier than a Nicaraguan puro, she rolls in the flavors of heartbreak, anger, joy, and incredulity on her heavily-awaited third installment Shining In The Half Light.

Despite musicians facing a tumultuous two years as a result of the pandemic that shall not be named, this award-winning British singer/songstress hailing from the cultural city of Bristol (here in the UK) kept herself firmly on the British Blues and Roots map. She released a live album Ain’t Nothin’ But, and even had time to bring her first child into the world!

Bailey delivers a lyrical knockout blow on no-holds-barred opener “Cheats and Liars” in support of all the artists who faced hardship when the music industry was shackled into silence. The broody intro builds up beautifully with the dark, rich sound of piano – you can cut the tension like a knife through butter. When the chorus comes around, the pipes of Bailey have lift-off, giving this genre-crossing song an anthemic grandeur.

“The Game” was the fourth (and most recent) single to be released from the album, and you can’t go wrong with a swaying Hammond riff, especially when it comes from organ monster Jonny Henderson. Those trademark husky vocals are again prominent and unmistakably Bailey – no need for Guess Who? here. As the three and a half minutes reached their climax, it also reminded me that more fun pastimes should end with doo-wop handclaps.

Bailey is more restrained in the hypnotic, mid-paced stomp of “Stones” as a spot of delicious slide guitar takes center stage. There’s more melodic fretwork in “Colours Start To Run” as the different shades of calm begin to surface.  “Who’s That” subdues the lights as nuances of soul collide with the blues. Bailey’s voice is sultry and the backing vocals are just as creamy.

My favorite track is up next – “Sunshine City”. It’s radiating, it ramps up the heat, and it’s got a riff that wouldn’t be out of place in The Rolling Stones archives. If you like stinging blues-rock, then get raising your sticky fingers to this.

The title track wraps up this collection of stellar songwriting with a fascinating array of textures, not forgetting a vocal/piano bridge that I would be happy to cross again and again.

I conclude by stepping back in time to the raspy tone of the track that kicked this 10-track LP off. One lyric, in particular, stood out – “I always dance to the beat of my own blues”. It defines this album perfectly – brazen, bold, and one that explores boundaries beyond the blues, while still lucidly sounding like an Elles Bailey record.

The Review: 8/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Cheats and Liars
– The Game
– Sunshine City

The Big Hit

– Sunshine City