Alice McLaughlin

The live it like you sing it songstress is a rare thing. Alice McLaughlin is here to buck the trend. Flying back to the UK especially to play this years Big Chill, she has spent the past 5 months ambling around Americas deep south - laptop on back - en route to San Francisco - with little more than her wits, a battered old guitar and a 1979 Dodge. After a stint in Nashville, Tennesse, a road trip to New Mexico and a mini tour of the West Coast, the 25-year-olds passion, spontaneity and heartfelt honesty is apparent in more than just her lyrics.

I suppose I fit in awkwardly with Joni Mitchell and Ricky Lee Jones...influences would be Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, Joanna Newsom...anyone doing what they do well and a bit differently...

And with these guiding beacons in mind she secured a publishing deal with Warner Chappell music and co-produced The Eastcote Sessions, with help from Clayhill/Red Snapper double bass maestro Ali Friend, Clayhill/Beth Orton guitarist Ted Barnes and producer Will Worsley. I wanted to record a very honest sound. We took our live takes and then layered on and experimented with instruments like ebows, Fiddlephones, and harmoniums to create a landscape of sound for the mini album. The final mix is a journey. It is the home of some very meaningful songs that resulted from a challenging few years.

With soaring melodies, poignant lyrics and unbounded imagination, Alices songs enthrall, thrill and take the listener to another world. And with her ability for the pithy put down and acidic observation it can be a very bitter as well as sweet place. An unsigned artist to watch, and listen to.