Gabrielle Aplin- English Rain (Deluxe Edition) (2013) VBR

Gabrielle Aplin- English Rain (Deluxe Edition)

Year 2013

Disc 1
01 Panic Cord
02 Keep on Walking
03 Please Don't Say You Love Me
04 How Do You Feel Today-
05 Home
06 Salvation
07 Ready to Question
08 The Power of Love
09 Alive
10 Human
11 November
12 Start of Time
13 Take Me Away (Bonus Track)

Disc 2
01 Evaporate
02 Wake Up With Me
03 Alive (The RAK Sessions)
04 Please Don't Say You Love Me (The RAK Sessions)
05 Home (The RAK Sessions)
06 How Do You Feel Today- (The RAK Sessions)

This is a very good debut album indeed. Aplin's talent is almost ridiculously obvious. Most of the arrangements err on the side of simplicity, giving plenty of space for Aplin's voice and words. The Power of Love is the only cover, and its relatively understated (though undoubtedly slick) arrangement ensures it doesn't stick out awkwardly from the rest of the album. Comparing the EP version of Home with the version on this album, the performance is almost identical (at least at the beginning), but the sound is much smoother, polished. It's gorgeous. Aplin's sound is quieter and more reflective than, say, Amy Macdonald, but the material is all the more powerful for its lack of flashiness. And there are enough sing-along choruses to keep me happy.
Aplin doesn't seem to have any shortage of original material: almost all of this album is new material. In addition to the 11 original songs that appear on the track listing, there's a hidden track at the end (Take Me Away). Even more: there are a couple of very good songs (Evaporate and Wake Up With Me) on the bonus disc that comes with the Deluxe version; they are every bit as good as the material on the main album. The bonus disc has four alternate (RAK Sessions) versions of songs from the album. They are consistent with the versions on the album, except for Home, which is played on the piano rather then guitar.
It's wonderful to hear a debut album like this, where the raw talent and personality of an artist like Gabrielle Aplin is nourished, developed and displayed to best effect (thanks to producer Mike Spencer). I feel that Ellie Goulding's personality was almost totally erased by the producer of her first album; not so Gabrielle Aplin on this album.