Kate Walsh - The Real Thing

Kate Walsh - Stripped down, live-in-the-studio acoustic album is, says the D.I.Y. Brit songbird, "the simplest and truest form" for her new songs, each delivered one per month this past year in a video leading up to the full album street date this week...her fourth album of original songs follows up last year's Peppermint Radio collection of cover songs // Release: The Real Thing (November 21 UK) // Sounds like: Walsh's "straight from my heart" performances are mostly whisper-soft confessional musings spun like fine gossamer... accompanying herself on guitar and piano with the occasional cello backup, the 28-year-old draws comparisons to the Blue-period Joni Mitchell with what we've described as her "achingly pure" voice and gifted way around a simple, compelling melody...(videos below)

Quote: "I really really wish I could write a song for its own sake…you know, think of an interesting subject and write a song about it. But I can’t do that. I just can’t. I write because I have to…I need to get something off my chest. It’s painful, but necessary…" // What we like: the deeply emotional songs of love, loss, longing and loneliness may be delivered in a soft, delicate surrounding but the sharp clarity and undisguised pain connect with a solid punch lyrically...the fragile music box beginning of "Stirring Up A Fire" blossoms into a sweeping torch song of lovely melodic twists and turns (even if she does rhyme "written" with "smitten")...the title track -- our favorite of all -- boasts some exquisite guitar lines and some Joni-like vocals of crystalline beauty -- the real thing, indeed...

Kate Walsh - "The Real Thing" (from the album The Real Thing)

Kate Walsh - "The Dark Knight" (from the album The Real Thing)