ALBUM: Lucy Rose - 'Something’s Changing'

“Music is actually more than music for most people in the world,” says songwriter Lucy Rose, who releases her third album, Something’s Changing, via Communion today (July 7th). The record is a tender ode to her time spent travelling in Latin America, where Lucy re-discovered that music is made from the soul and not for profit. Her time spent amongst the communities of Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Mexico has naturally altered her style and outlook as a songwriter, and on Something’s Changing she proves she is no longer “caught up in the business side” of things; she is simply making music that she cares about.

This sentiment permeates the album. On ‘Intro’ her gentle, airy voice confesses to “feeling it all”, whilst on ‘Is This Called Home’ Lucy’s vision is supported by a full band and orchestral strings (as well as vocal harmonies by The Staves). Her days as a backing singer for Bombay Bicycle Club are clearly behind her, and she’s enlisted a wealth of talented supporting artists for her third record; including Daughter’s Elena Tonra, Bear’s Den’s Marcus Hamblett and Matthew, and The Atlas’ Emma Gatrill.

‘Floral Dresses’ quietly challenges conventional femininity, and promotes breaking free of the shackles of lipstick and floral prints if they don’t make you feel like a confident young woman. On ‘Second Chance’, Lucy embraces opportunities to “raise her head high” and start again, whilst following track ‘Love Song’ is a heart-affirming ode to true love that’s full of pretty lyrics: “if only love was this easy, I’d write a book about every time you kissed me”.

The nostalgic value in Lucy’s lyrics on ‘Moirai’ (named after the Greek God of fate) perfectly reflect the longing and sadness of unrequited love, making it the stand-out track on the album. You’ll be moved by her exquisite voice and careful timing on this track, but you’ll soon be wiping away your tears when ‘No Good At All’ kicks in. Despite its melancholy name it hosts a smooth, upbeat, funky piano-led chorus. The penultimate ‘Find Myself’ remains loyal to the record’s theme of personal discovery, and closing track ‘I Can’t Change It All’ sounds like a gentle wish to right the wrongs of Latin America’s poverty and inequality.

Recorded in a remarkable 17 days with Brighton producer Tim Bidwell, Lucy’s Rose’s Something’s Changing is a deeply personal record written by a songwriter who simply wants to “put out something positive into the world” in the hope that it will “make people feel better”. With her harmonious voice, Lucy Rose has achieved just that on her third record.