Amy Papiransky – Read Me Write
Independent – 1 September 2019
Hailing from the small town of Keith in the North-East of Scotland, but now living in Glasgow, singer-songwriter Amy Papiransky features both folk and jazz influences in this, her first full-length album collection. A finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Competition 2018, Amy resists the temptation to serve up any recordings re-heated from her earlier Seasons EP, and instead presents us with eleven brand new compositions assembled together on the cleverly named Read Me Write.
Produced and recorded by Angus Lyon (Blazin’ Fiddles) at Gran’s House Studio, situated in the beautiful Southern Uplands of South Lanarkshire, close to the banks of the River Clyde, Read Me Write becomes a contemporary portrait of stories drawn from emotional experience – covering a spectrum that incorporates hues of love, family, friendship and loss. Her flawless vocals, which at times remind of Cara Dillon or Mary Black, seem to soar as if lifted by the beautiful scenery that surrounds her, weaving a pastoral fabric of dexterous and hypnotic delight.
And she is backed on Read Me Write by yet more talented Scottish musicians, a group that includes Innes Watson and Ross Ainslie from Treacherous Orchestra; Graham Rorie from Gnoss; and Charlie Stewart, himself winner of the 2017 BBC Radio Scotland Traditional Musician of the Year. Together with Rory Matheson on keys, Phil Cunningham on accordion, and John Lowrie on percussion this album is, not surprisingly, brimming with melody and rhythm.
If I do have a criticism, and it is only a minor irritation, the initial sound levels on opening track Prove To You are deceptively quiet. Even after several listens I still find myself boosting the volume to catch the first few lines of the vocals only to be jolted into reaching for the remote control as the bass and the rest of the band join in.
There is no such problem on Quiet One, a thoughtful love song that looks back with an air of sadness as well as forwards with muted resignation whilst fiddles, mandolin and muted drums provide gentle accompaniment.
Beautiful key changes and dreamy vocals compensate for my natural aversion to spoonerisms in song titles, and I am forced to concede that the Flutterbye is probably my favourite track on the entire album.
An infectious jazz vibes and vibrant hot-club style fiddle creates a warm and contemporary exploration of Winter Winds before allowing DOUBTS (spelt in capitals for some reason – is this an unexplained acronym?) to adopt a restrained take on a suspicion of wandering minds and unshared thoughts.
Jen-nifer (with a hyphen) is another song of extraordinary beauty in which Papiransky allows her voice to twist and turn through a lament of lost love and friendship found, accompanied by mournful fiddle and drum. A Robin’s Song nestles within superstition to allow a moment of reminiscence and to muse on times passed. Once again, the vocals are quite stunning.
The lively spirit of Heavy Head may not necessarily produce a drinking song in the literal sense, but its simplicity and joviality are intoxicating nonetheless, coming as it does immediately before the gentle reflective beauty of Oh Mother.
Find Myself is a blues-inspired composition, yet is plumped full of sassiness and resolve that contrasts starkly with the gentle piano and rueful pensiveness of final track Bloom, a song which was actually commissioned as part of an Indegogo fundraising campaign to facilitate the recording of this album.
Read Me Write stands as a recipe collection of mixed moods and styles, bringing together the ingredients required to showcase Papiransky’s songwriting prowess and vocal expertise. As an album, it may lack the cohesiveness to pinpoint a moment in time or to define a chapter in an evolving career, but as an introduction to the indisputable talents of this young musician, it certainly sets the scene.
Order Read Me Write via Bandcamp
For details of upcoming gigs visit: https://amypapiransky.com/