Avalanche (Thea Gilmore album)

Avalanche
File:Theagilmoreavalanche.jpg
Studio album by Thea Gilmore
Released	9 September 2003
Recorded	The Forge, Oswestry; The Loft, Liverpool; Chapel Studios, South Thoresby, Lincs
Genre	Rock, folk
Length	46:46
Label	Hungry Dog
Producer	Nigel Stonier
Thea Gilmore chronology
Songs from the Gutter (2002)Songs from the Gutter2002 Avalanche (2003) Harpo's Ghost (2006)Harpo's Ghost2006

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Mojo	We are in the midst of a truly exceptional English singer/songwriter
The Guardian	Thea Gilmore's punk folk takes its lead from Bob Dylan. She belies her Tender years with an assertive lyricism which rings true and tellingly
The Mirror	There is no home grown talent to compare with this sweet voiced, sharp Edged 21 year old from Oxford
The Independent	The only alarming thing about Thea Gilmore is just how good she is
The Times	(not rated) Bold, Uplifting, Anthemic, her best album to date
Time Out	Haunting beauty, aching mood and elegant craft
Uncut	(not rated) The best female singer songwriter of the last ten years and then some
Q	Britain has spawned very few world class singer songwriters, Gilmore is in a league of her own

Avalanche is the fifth album released by English singer-songwriter Thea Gilmore. It was released on 9 September 2003 to general high praise.

It reached #62 in the UK Albums Chart, which is, as of September 2006, the highest position any of her albums have attained.

Avalanche was Thea Gilmore’s fifth album in as many years, following just months after the originally internet-only album Songs From The Gutter. Rags And Bones the opening track is led by an insistent acoustic guitar and is full of evocative lyrics (“they are racking up the weapons of blood and piss and guilt…”). Have You Heard reminds us that things are not always what they seem, with political allusions littered throughout the song.

A chart hit, inspired by a chance meeting with a girl who spilled out her life story within a few minutes, Juliet (Keep That In Mind) is a big sing-along, radio-friendly song, with the sting of the lyrics hidden in a great melody. Mainstream is a driving acoustic rocker indicting the state of the music industry with a rollicking dobro solo, and Heads Will Roll is a bluesy stomp, with a hefty dose of wit and cynicism.

Gilmore sounds equally at home on the slower songs, ballads such as Pirate Moon, and God Knows and the dark love song Razor Valentine, complete with vinyl crackle, which wouldn’t have sounded out of place in the contemporary surreal TV drama Twin Peaks.

Surrounded by her usual band of musicians, including ex-Pretender Robbie McIntosh and long-time producer and guitarist Nigel Stonier, the music is augmented by odd percussive loops and other effects, which actually contribute to the atmosphere of the songs rather than swamp them. With a consistently high standard of songwriting beyond Gilmore’s 23 years, it’s an accomplished album, showing that she’s more than just another girl with a guitar. Avalanche reaffirms Gilmore’s uniqueness and independence as an artist.

Track listing

All songs written by Thea Gilmore, except where noted.

1. "Rags and Bones" – 3:38
2. "Have You Heard" – 3:26
3. "Juliet (Keep That in Mind)" – 3:52
4. "Avalanche" – 4:21
5. "Mainstream" (Gilmore, Nigel Stonier) – 3:12
6. "Pirate Moon" – 4:20
7. "Apparition #13" – 3:27
8. "Razor Valentine" – 3:46
9. "God Knows" – 3:49
10. "Heads Will Roll" – 2:33
11. "Eight Months" – 5:33
12. "The Cracks" – 4:49

Personnel

• Thea Gilmore – Vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, xylophone, melodica, saw
• Nigel Stonier – Producer, programming, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, gut string guitar, bass, keyboards, Moog, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, backing vocals
• Robbie McIntosh – Electric guitar, National guitar, backing vocals
• Paul Beavis – drums, percussion
• Jo Wadeson – Bass
• Dave "Munch" Moore – Hammond organ
• Mike Cave – Drums, programming, cymbal
• Dylan Gallagher – Programming
• Dave Hull-Denholm – Backing vocals
• Freyja Gilmore – Backing vocals
• Oliver Kraus – Cello
• Ewan Davies – Musical box

External links

• Official site
• 2004 interview
• Thea Gilmore discography at Discogs
• Thea Gilmore discography at MusicBrainz