ALBUM REVIEW
Scott Lloyd, Waterlands
Manchester, United Kingdom
BACKGROUND
Hailing from the north of England, Scott Lloyd has been navigating a new path on his quest for happiness. He's swapped the urban noise of Manchester for the sweet serenity of Derbyshire's countryside and is rediscovering his creativity with a soundscape and lyrics inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds him. New record Waterlands feels introspective yet relatable as it journeys unapologetically through genres from folk to 70s inspired rock and sees Scott explore themes of growing up, mental health and loss against a rural backdrop, like the romantic poets before him.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“This album feels like my love letter to the rural side of life. I have grown a passion for all things nature related. Walking, gardening, bird watching, fishing and an all round love of nature & wildlife are things that have become a mainstay in my life, and they have become more important since the first lockdown in 2020. Nature was a huge solace for me when all my gigs and work quickly vanished. Daily walks and being out working in the garden changed my life for the better. The album isn’t entirely about these loves, but each song became more of a reality to me from the calmness, happiness and wonder that the outdoors brought me, and through that the songs came into being."
REVIEW
Scott Lloyd has released his new album titled 'Waterlands'. The 11 track album opens with 'Meet Me at the Bluebell' in an acoustic folk-inspired dream. The track opens in the most rawest and human of ways which is really refreshing. He begins to pluck his guitar strings before quickly stopping saying "hold on" and starting again. I liked the reality that is shown here. Things aren't polished the way we're led to believe. 'In The Water' opens with higher energy in its energetic strumming of acoustic guitar and upbeat drum arrangements. The song then brings in electronic elements found in modern-day production to give it more of a pop feel without losing the raw nature found in this artist. This track is a real contrast to the opening track which was purely acoustic. We begin to see the full potential of this artist. 'With Different Eyes' brings the whistle of a harmonica to the start of the production before bringing the high energy and similar theme to the previous track. The lyrics tell a story of someone who is clear to make his admiration for another very clear. Full of imagery and romance 'With Different Eyes' brings something new to the vision. 'Running' has a completely different vibe through its composition but also has the same instruments present - drumkit, harmonica, guitar. This track whisks you away from the familiarness of folk in this artist's work and takes you to a place where you can't help but dance along to. A heavier rock vibe full of guitar riffs but the softness and rawness of his vocals remain. 'Stepping Stones' takes the tone back down through the dreamy string synths and soft guitar plucking. His vocal layers really bring his words to light as he "sings a lullaby". Track 6 titled 'Waterlands' opens with an Ed Sheeran style acoustic but quickly progresses into a Celtic folk-inspired production that is full of words of confession. We hear a different vocal register from this artist and it is very beautiful and moving. 'Skylarks' opens with a louder mix of plucked guitar playing bringing the guitar almost above the mix of the vocals. A nice switch to the rest of the album. 'Old Scrapbook' takes us back to the Ed Sheeran guitar playing style before progressing into indie-folk. Catchy lyrics and a lovely tone in this one. 'It's all for you' takes us back to the dreamland before transcending into the world of 'Miss You Dearly, a track that brings catchy drums alongside heavier guitar to bring higher energy to this project. Ending with 'California' we're taken back to the land of the harmonica and acoustic guitar. This artist has a real talent for telling stories through his music. Great music, a lovely tone to his voice, and a great knack for songwriting.