Steph Fraser

Pretend

It’s always refreshing to hear a collection of songs that don’t rely heavily on drums and electric guitars. Accordions, banjos, mandolins, acoustic guitars, penny whistles and sleepy piano lines accompany Steph Fraser’s beautifully hypnotic vocals. There are similarities both to Beth Orton and fellow Hull folkster Tegwen Roberts. Title track ‘Pretend’ is a rich and dynamic mixture of instruments, yet at no point are the vocals lost in the mix, which is just as well as the lyrics are certainly worth listening to: “If you look through these iron bars you will find hungry eyes longing to breathe the fresh air.” The EP drifts through another ballad – ‘Swimming Into The Dark’, which introduces a little electric guitar. The third song, ‘Ballad of a Smart Arse’ ironically feels the least ballad-like with an aggressive undertone from the opening lines: “They’ll give you all the answers to the questions they don’t ask. How did we get here and how the hell we gonna last?” This features a great acoustic riff – perhaps something it would be nice to hear more of throughout the other tracks. It’s a collection of thoughtful and imaginative songs that serve as a reminder that there is so much great music to hear out there, if only we look for it.

Matt Taylor

Review from SANDMAN MAGAZINE (Please visit and support independent music)