Can't Take My Story Away. Elles Bailey

With Elles Bailey we welcome a new name to the blog. The English singer-songwriter released her sixth album this year, excluding two live albums, since 2017. All the previous efforts passed me by and that changed recently.

On Can't Take My Story Away Elles Bailey shows a few sides to herself. With a voice well west of Four Roses' commercial saying "nothing's changed really", she takes us down a soul, country(rock) and blues adventure. In several songs this all comes together. The record starts with that voice. It almost has the grit that Janice Joplin used to have and Bonnie Raitt should wish to have. Musically I would connect the latter singer with Elles Bailey. The way all the genres are somehow connected is not unlike the albums I know by Raitt.

That is why in my opinion Can't Take My Story Away will be associated with the U.S. far sooner than the U.K. Everything ms. Bailey presents here has its origin in U.S. musical culture. She has mastered it all and made it her own signature.

For years, I am a fan of Swiss-American singer-songwriter Beth Wimmer. The start of this album reminds me a lot of several of her songs. Her voice is sweeter, as is her approach to the songs. It is all in the vibe of the two artists where the similarity lies. I can Beth easily hear singing the title song or 'Growing Roots'.

Photo: R. Blackham

Where the use of instruments is concerned, Elles Bailey obviously has a wider budget. The use of the horns, the warm sound of a Hammond organ, it all gives the music a broader sound, which brings soul songs of Aretha Franklin or 'Dusty In Memphis' to mind. Elles Bailey without a doubt uses the past for her music but in such a way that most songs have an urgent feel and fit perfectly in the 2020s. I have no way of knowing whether this music will attract young people to shows or mainly grey haired men and grey women at the roots of their hair.

I must admit that towards the end of Can't Take My Story Away, I have heard enough. For now I blame myself, as this music is somewhat towards the fringe of my musical tastes. All before that moment is consumed with pleasure. Elles Bailey has made an album that has a great sound and her voice is almost one of a kind. It's certainly enough for now.

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