Journey Through Heartbreak: Elles Bailey's 'Beneath the Neo Glow' - A Must-Listen Album Review
Elles Bailey is an artist that I first caught live back in 2019 and have been following ever since, playing shows to 20-30 people before heading to Holland or huge headline shows to hundreds in London and at festivals. This is her fourth studio album and first on a major label, and what an album it is!
"Enjoy the Ride" - What an opening track for an album. The steady blues are sure to be massive, opening a forthcoming UK tour. The steady backing of the band, the chugging along nature of the track, the breakdowns, and vocal runs backing running around in the background: “sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the ride.” You’re definitely in for a ride with this album. The solo in the main vocal sections is a standout. You can clearly tell her backing vocals add some excellent elements to this track. It’s the rocky opener that sets a real tone for this album. It’s a signature Elles sound all over it.
"Ballad of Broken Dreams" takes us a different way, giving Elles' vocal dominance and showcasing her master class in storytelling. A person slipping away, burning bridges: it’s another excellent, full-on track with an up-tempo start. While conveying this very personal album to Elles, she’s letting you into her life. There are some classy piano parts in this track to add layers.
"Leave the Light On" - The way this track starts is incredible. Hammond organ and vocal doing the lifting, leading to that steady drum chugging. The lyric “to the place we call our own” leads to the chorus and added elements take the track to a whole new level. Elles' vocal takes it to another level. “Found my sanctuary in the eye of the storm” deals with troubled times and music is one way of achieving that. The music behind the track conveys positivity in the vibe of it, but you can sense that this is far from over. The ending “but you leave the light, yeah you leave the light on” is just the bare bones of Elles' vocals perfectly conveying the message.
"1972" - The funky number of the album, taking a lighter moment on this album. As the name suggests, it’s about the 70s, but then again you can sense from the track someone looking back to the good times they used to have.
"Silhouette in a Sunset" - All I can say is what a track. If there was ever something that I could relate to a situation that is happening in my life at the moment, they say songwriters should create moments people can connect with. Just wow, I’m getting a real sense of what this album is about. The vocal tone at the start is just spot on to convey the story she intends to deliver in this track. One of my parents has recently been diagnosed with vascular dementia in the past few months, and you can see them slipping away. That’s what I feel from the track and gain from the track. I’m crying at this moment. “I can see you when we meet at the dark end of the street” - what a line. The whole rest of the track is lyrically stunning, and the key change adds a whole new level to this track combined with the added harmonica. “10,000 years from now you might be with said person.” I can imagine this one might be a hard song to sing; she has given us everything in this track. Stunning.
"The Truth Ain’t Gonna Save Us" - More positive musically, but it still conveys that this is about heartbreak. “What once was love will break us.” Vocally, her tones are just spot on for this track, telling a real tale. Another track that is going to sound epic live. There is some real stunning electric guitar, but it never overpowers Elles' vocal moments. Lies don’t get you nowhere - the message.
"This is Love" - Back to a positive note. She’s turned a page and gone up. Not all things are happy, but leaving someone led to a positive note. Piano progression at the start, and Elles' vocal runs are just perfection.
"Let’s Burn" - Another stunning track. What space and emotion it creates in the first few seconds: the backing vocals followed by short piano chords. It’s “Honey, I know we’re not right.” Vocal runs are just sublime. This wide space on runs makes this an outstanding track. “Burn, burn, burn, burn” on the breakdown leading to an excellent guitar solo to convey the way the lyrics come across. It’s back to having her heart broken. I can really feel her pain at the moment.
"Love Yourself" - A massive positive track about picking yourself up and getting up on your feet after being heartbroken. You can feel that she has really been heartbroken in the following tracks and stories. The vocal tones are positive. The added backing vocals and speed picking up towards the end make it a very positive and self-affirming track.
"Turn Off the News" - We’re back down to heartbreak and feeling guilty when it’s not your fault. It’s stunning. Another track with so much space and emotion in her vocal tones. Just stunning. You can sense from the track she was sitting in a room all alone recovering from a past relationship. Turning off the news is a metaphor for thinking it was your fault, but it wasn’t. It’s such a tender track, a soul-bearing moment.
All I can say is what a masterpiece of an album. I feel privileged to review this music. It’s stunning. It’s Elles' most personal record ever, and it’s an album that conveys a message of heartbreak and pain. The neon wording in the album gives a sense of all this happening while putting on a brave face and putting herself out there. Elles' vocal delivery on this heartfelt album is just spot on. Be sure to take a deep listen to the story it tells. The lyrical writing and production create some magic and real heartfelt moments with the listener. Connection with the listener is key, and I urge you not to get emotional at some point. It must have been so hard for Elles to put this album out. She has given you everything, no holding back. She’s used to telling other people's stories but nothing this personal. If it was one of those bigger time reviewers that needed to score it, it would be 10/10.
New Album Beneath The Neon Glow
Out August 9th On Cooking Vinyl Records
Grab a copy now https://www.ellesbailey.com/
TRACKLISTING
Standard CD / Digital:
Enjoy The Ride [03:39]
Ballad of a Broken Dream [05:12]
Leave The Light On [03:19]
1972 [02:48]
Silhouette In a Sunset [04:10]
Truth Ain’t Gonna Save Us [03:54]
If This Is Love [03:01]
Let It Burn [04:49]
Love Yourself [04:57]
Turn off The News [03:56]
