Anna Calvi recently released her second album, One Breath, and with a fair amount of music press love for the record already in the bag the recent stream of her latest single, Suddenly, adds a little more weight for anyone that missed. The new track will be coming out right at the outset of her European tour, which will lead on to the UK leg in the New Year with dates in Belfast, Glasgow, Manchester, London, Birmingham, Brighton and Bath (see below for more details).
Suddenly takes a little while to warm up and then it takes a little while more for it to grow on you, but when it does finally sink, it gets in softly under your skin and while we’re not quite sure how embedded it will be, but from the first few listens it could be as enduringly memorable as Desire. The stream of the single is below along with the video that accompanies it, so you can listen for yourself, but our take is that it’s definitely a grower.
It opens out with a simple bass line and Anna’s deep oohs and before you know it you’re in the heat of the chorus that mixes the same bass line with tribal drums that sound like they could have been scored by Fleetwood Mac. The freak out mid section is class, but it ends way too early for it to really get going as much as it could have done. However, each chorus gets more impact as the song progresses with little snippets of music and layers building in the mix, taking the edge off the disappointment about the shortness of the freak.
It’s got a great way of going from quieter notes to the full force of the song, which gives it a cool depth and long term appeal. Anna’s vocals are as amazing as they ever are and as soon as you finish playing the track you’re caught up in a desire of your own to replay it one more time.
The video is a stylish play on old black and white cinema with direction from long time collaborator, Emma Nathan, who describes the single as being surrounded by, “deeply withheld emotion and extreme release”.
Suddenly will be released as a digital download bundle and 7″ vinyl with a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s Fire, following on from the release of One Breath last month.
Anna Calvi, Suddenly review: 3.9/5
Anna Calvi, Suddenly music video:
Anna Calvi UK tour dates 2014:
February 2nd 2014 – Belfast, Empire
February 4th 2014 – Leeds, Met University
February 5th – Glasgow, The Arches
February 6th – Manchester, Albert Halls
February 8th – London, Troxy
February 10th – Birmingham, Institute
February 11th – Brighton, All Saints Church
February 12th – Bath, Komedia
