Album Review: Nicholas Stevenson - Phantom Sweetheart
With support slots from Frank Turner and Mumford and Sons already under his belt, Nicholas Stevenson is one of those people that will be rocketed into the limelight before he even grasps what’s happening. His haunting vocals and inspiring melodies don’t hurt his chances either. Released on Halloween, the aptly titled ‘Phantom Sweetheart’ will stay you for a long time after the first listen.‘Hounds’ is the opening track, and really sets the mood for the rest of the album. Stevenson’s dulcet tones blend perfectly with the gentle guitar, but borderlines on being just a little too dreary. ‘Maybe The Moon’ is more layered and upbeat, despite the fact that it’s just a voice and an acoustic guitar. This track is simple, but yet moving and unforgettable. This is a running theme throughout the album, and the simplicity of the songs is what makes this album so good.
One of the things I love about this record is that not every track is the same. ‘Hammer & Nails’ features some drums, which really adds pace to the song and makes it stand out from the previous tracks. Similarly, ‘Spare Bed’ is another standout track, even if the beginning does sound like an old Oasis song. But no matter how much is added, or taken away from these songs, they are still brilliantly crafted bits of indie-folk. Speaking of which, ‘A Song’ will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. With a slightly country feel to it, its still another perfect example of how well storytelling through songs can work. With anyone else singing this track would not have worked so well, but Stevenson’s vocals really put the icing on the cake.
‘Cold Calls’ is much more poppy than most of the other tracks, and is most likely to be the one you’d hear on the radio. However, it hasn’t lost the charm built up by the rest of the album, and with the lyrics it’s just something you can really sink your teeth into and have fun with. Sounding like a reject from the Frattelli’s first album, ‘Sports Injury’ is the only weak track on the record. It’s overdone and the vocals aren’t the same with the silly effects. But it doesn’t last, thank God, as the final track on the album ‘Comet’ is back to the beautifully melodic music we are so used to from Stevenson.
Quite simply, ‘Phantom Sweetheart’ is fantastic, and Nicholas Stevenson is fantastic. There isn’t much about this album that I don’t love, and no matter how you feel about indie and folk music, I strongly recommend you give this a go, because you wont be disappointed. Big things are on the horizon for Stevenson, and if he keeps this up, the next album will be a best seller.
4.5/5
'Phantom Sweetheart' by Nicholas Stevenson is available now on Hilldrop Records.
Nicholas Stevenson on MySpace and Twitter.
Blaise Ruston
