Lou Murphy – Pieces (2020)
In my mind, Lou has always been associated with males as a shortened form of Louise; little did I know that this Lou is an outstanding songstress who would captivate me with her music. Stupid stereotypical reference aside, Lou Murphy is a Anglo-French artist born in Paris but based in London. While she originally planned on being a lawyer, the “music bug” caught her and after four years studying law she decided to write songs instead. The latest addition to her repertoire is ‘Pieces’.
Penned and recorded during Covid-19 lockdown, ‘Pieces’ is a moving ballad featuring Bristolian jazz artist Ben Charlton. Mostly a piano-driven track, but with the inclusion of ambient guitars and steady drums, ‘Pieces’ is a stripped-back song with a raw honesty both lyrically and sonically.
While the instrumentation is calm, flowing and melodic, it is the effortless melding of Charlton and Murphy’s vocals that capture my interest. Written as a response to a broken relationship, the duet cleverly demonstrates how there are always two sides to a story. Reminiscent of old-school Adele ballads with the brokenhearted rawness of Tom Odell, ‘Pieces’ is a painfully sad three minutes of pop.
For more from Lou Murphy check out her official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
