Solveig & Stevie’s “Fire and Other Playthings” harks back to a more innocent time in pop music. With a mellow sound they are able to accomplish quite a bit from the playful to the dramatic. The songs display Solveig’s power as a singer as well as Stevie’s adept restrained playing. A clear love of pop permeates the entirety of the collection. Articulate with a good sense of storytelling the songs build off of each other, moving between the celebratory and the comforting.
Audio –https://soundcloud.com/solveigwhittle/sets/fire-and-other-playthings
“Fire and Other Playthings” opens up with the playful tease of “Fire” whose wordplay is wonderful. The brash instrumental sensibilities of the track nicely complement Solveig’s lyrical work. On “Light the Fire” they take a different tact moving towards a more introspective approach. By far the album’s highlight is the rainy day tone of “Little Bird”. Repetition is of the utmost importance as the song reaches a Zen of sorts with its careful emphasis on balance. Stripping down the song to its essentials it gains great power. With an almost dreamy atmosphere the song cycles through lyrics and melodies, slowly morphing them into something delicately beautiful. “Superwoman” takes a triumphant approach with a finale ending in fanfare. Building off of this hopeful energy is the positive “Wishing Well” which elaborates upon this moving towards sunny harmonies.
Music Video: “Light The Fire”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M4OldmcXcY
“Creation” ends the collection intermingling aspects of country, rock, and dance into a satisfying whole. “Fire and Other Playthings” is a powerful collection.
Posted by Beach Sloth
