aaamusic | On 07, Jul 2015

Colourful Oxfordshire singer songwriter Megan Henwood began writing songs at the age of nine and, influenced by her Mum, learnt that quality lyrics were extremely important like tunes. She won the prestigious BBC Young Folk Award with her brother Joe in 2009 and her fine debut album Making Waves received considerable praise. The album had a fine Pre-Raphaelite styled cover which went back to that legendary avant-garde art movement whose devotees searched for beauty and imagination.

Megan co-produced Head, Heart, Hand, her second album, with Tom Excell whose background is electronic music. It’s released on July 10^th, 2015 on Dharma Records. The album took over two years to make and involved writing, recording and building a studio from 580 straw bales which were packed into an old farm building. Originally Megan wrote nearly 50 songs, but discarded many because of the high personal standards she set for herself.

Megan’s new album begins with a lively rhythm in ‘Love/Loathe’, which contrasts with the charm and simplicity of ‘Chemicals’ which sensitivity tells a story about the collapse of a relationship. Moody ‘These Walls’ is a stunning, restless and unsettling song, unlike the earthy ‘Rose Red’ with its traditional folk feel.

‘Garden’, which introduces a character named Daisy, has a dark edge despite the bright and cheerful imagery of Spring, whilst bold ‘No Good No Fun’ tells a sad tale about rejection. The cleverly written ‘Our Little Secret’ will absolutely petrify any man who’s attracted by a girl who is too young for him, and elegant ‘Fall And Fade’  has some curiously enigmatic lyrics for listeners to patiently unravel.

Megan Henwood sings with a warm, mellow and distinctive voice accompanied by cello, viola, electric guitar, bass guitar and a Hammond organ. Her songs are often about personal experiences, fusing a diverse mix of folk, soul, blues and rock. She’s a creative and talented artist whose latest album Head, Heart, Hand touches on themes of fragility and strength in a refreshingly open-minded way.

Anthony Weightman