Whether you realise it or not, you’re probably much more au fait with HELEN BOULDING than you might immediately have thought. After all, she has quite a history of penning pop hits for other folk and if you’ve ever caught tunes like Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn”, Alex Parks’ “Maybe That’s What It Takes” or any number of things by Marcella Detroit barrelling out of your radio or from the car stereo during your taxi ride to the airport, then you’ve already begun to sample her wares, however subconsciously.
It’s only in recent times that the talented Sheffield lass has finally ventured into the studio under her own steam, however. Her previous single “I Don’t Know What I Want” was co-written with no less than Chris Difford from Squeeze, while its’ understated B-side “Hazel Eyes” found her teaming up with another legend, in Pink Floyd’s Rick Wright. Even more surprising when you consider how lacking in bombast the end results of this collaboration were.
Boulding’s new single “What A Fool” again suggests that she uses the numbers in her impressive contacts book wisely indeed. The first fruits of sessions in Spain with producer Youth (Embrace, The Verve, Primal Scream, Crowded House), this one is ballsier and faster than its’ predecessor, proffering lots of clipped and soulful guitars, fruity Hammond organ and a finely-tuned, full-blooded chorus. It would sound great on TOTP were it still there, but – unless I’ve not been informed – it’s still possible to have radio hits of sorts, and “What A Fool” is one if ever there was.
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This being a decent singer/ songwriter, we also get two proper B-sides instead of the usual drain-blocking remixes. It’s hard to choose between these (which are both co-writes with ex-Cure man Phil Thornalley), but while “When I Let You Go” is the piano ballad of some repute, I’d arguably plump for “Sleepwalking” thanks to the cool, vibrato guitar, hints of Neil Finn-style atmosphere and that chromatic tinge that always hooks this writer in. A good value for money bonus, and that’s a rarity these days.
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