Cast your mind back a couple of years and you might remember the name Wallis Bird who at the time was in the process of delivering (and touring) her debut album ‘Spoons’, and a rather pleasing affair it was as well. Playful acoustic songs could be found in plentiful supply, it was an album crafted over time and had a gentility of spirit which made it so endearing.

Which is why the follow up album ‘New Boots’ which arrives on September 7th is such a shock to the system. There’s a definite air or reinvention about this collection of songs. In fact it’s a real prize fighter of an album, bristling with an energy that summons up all manner of dark undercurrents. During my initial listen I’ll confess I was somewhat knocked back by Wallis’s new downright confrontational stance. It is a devil may care approach which almost seems to claw at you through the speakers.

I’d like to give you example tracks of where these new found changes occur but this is a wholesale revamp. Even in the quieter moments (lets say…on ‘Made Of Sugar’) she bristles with an emotion that is held in check by the musical backdrop.

This one of those albums that doesn’t rely on lavish production. Its all about delivering the content and this instance Wallace doesn’t put a foot wrong. She proclaims the album is one that allowed to run “the gamut of emotions from ecstasy to despair” and while I would usually have little faith in the bollocks that musicians usually spout I’m inclined to believe her because she backs up emotive content with evidence in the songs.

As albums go this is one that screams to be heard, a worthy collection indeed and one that I can thoroughly recommend.