KATIE MELUA
Acoustic Album No. 8 (BMG)
In 2020, Katie Melua released Album No. 8, which was received as her most personal and soulful album to date. Now, hot on its heels is Acoustic Album No. 8: basically what it says on the tin. There’s very much a live feel to this recording, with Melua’s brother Zurab producing and violinist Simon Goff bringing a subtle cinematic vibe to Remind Me To Forget and Maybe I Dreamt It.
Sparser versions of previously heard Katie Melua tracks can sometimes be just plain boring, a bit like chips without salt, vinegar or ketchup, but on Acoustic Album No. 8, Melua’s vocals shine through throughout on songs that retain their original strength when stripped back to the bone, as well as sounding somewhat fresh and new at the same time. As a result, this release comes pretty close to eclipsing Album No. 8.
words DAVID NOBAKHT