Single Review: Flower

There are times when the music world is very small indeed, which is why earlier this year I found myself at The Portland Public House in Auckland to see a singer-songwriter, having been put in contact by a fellow reviewer who is in the UK. Even though Bianca Rae was the support, and everything was running late, she refused to let anything get to her, and I thoroughly enjoyed her set. Before I left, I told her to let me know when she had music ready to review, and the result is that I now have Flower on repeat. Bianca has recorded four songs as acoustic demos, and this is the second she has made available to the wider public.

Vocally she has a similar style to Amy Winehouse, and it is the vocals which are the centre of attention as apart from her acoustic the only other accompaniment are a few harmony vocals. There is a naivety in her performance, with the guitar very much in the background, yet there is a confidence in her approach. When I saw her play, this song was one of the highlights for me, as there are strong elements of folky roots, while there are hints of singer-songwriter and Americana. There is an edge to this performance, and while it can be pleasant in the background, Bianca has a strength and force within her vocals which provide real cut through. One gets the impression that all may not be quite the beauty and light it purports to be, and there is a lot more going on than initially meets the eye.

The song is less than three minutes long, and the accompaniment and arrangement does give it a demo feel, but it is also a wonderful introduction to Bianca, and I enjoyed it immensely. There is an invitation to come in, but not too close, and the focus on her vocals works very well indeed.