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Gabrielle Aplin's first success came from the unlikely source of a Christmas TV advert that became inescapable in the U.K. during the 2012 festive period. Her cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Power of Love" almost managed to snatch the coveted U.K. Christmas number one spot away from the glare of the public's favorite X Factor hopeful. However, prior to this flurry of fame, Aplin had already amassed a loyal following from her YouTube channel -- which had already surpassed ten million views. Here on her debut full-length, English Rain, Aplin explores her country-folk-inspired pop sound, with the addition of a full band and production from Mike Spencer (Emeli Sandé, Ellie Goulding, Rizzle Kicks). The opening tracks clearly speak to her known influencers, Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell, as the rousing "Panic Cord" sets the tone of the record, and Aplin reflects on a broken relationship to a Mumford & Sons-esque folk romp. However, it's on the record's quieter moments that she sounds most comfortable. "How Do You Feel Today?" is simply accompanied by a delicate string arrangement, while "Home" and "November" are allowed to swell naturally to a satisfying chanted chorus ending. In addition to stirring stadium folk tunes, Aplin knows how to write a power ballad, and the slow burning "Salvation" brings together her best assets for a beautiful piano-led track that evolves into an unexpected crescendo of synths and drums. Although it is expected to appear here by fans, her popular cover of "The Power of Love" would do better to have been left as a bonus track or simply in its Christmas single state, as it fails to sit comfortably alongside her own body of work. Other fleeting moments of promise raise their heads throughout, such as the Amy Macdonald-sounding "Human" and the hymnlike "Ready to Question," which both fall to the wayside somewhat. The sleek-sounding production is at times rather heavy-handed, and even though in some instances the additional strings and array of instrumentation are welcome additions, a better introduction to Aplin may have been through the simpler methods that brought her so many plaudits from her stripped-back YouTube covers.
© Scott Kerr /TiVo
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Rob Harris, Guitar - Jez Ashurst, Writer - Nick Atkinson, Writer - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Mike Spencer, Producer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Programmer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Liz Horsman, Backing Vocals, Additional Programmer - Gabrielle Aplin, Guitar, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Nick Atkinson, Backing Vocals, Writer - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Mike Spencer, Producer, Percussion, Programmer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Finn Eiles, RecordingEngineer - Liz Horsman, Additional Programmer - Gabrielle Aplin, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Tom Crouch, Guitar - Josh Deal, Drums - David Guest, Bass Guitar
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Rob Harris, Guitar - Nick Atkinson, Backing Vocals, Writer - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Mike Spencer, Producer, Drums, Additional Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Programmer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Liz Horsman, Additional Programmer - James David, RecordingEngineer - Gabrielle Aplin, Guitar, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Alfie Hudson-Taylor, Backing Vocals
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Nick Atkinson, Writer - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Mike Spencer, Keyboards, Percussion, Additional Producer, Programmer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Liz Horsman, Programmer - Gabrielle Aplin, Guitar, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Tom Wilding, String Arranger, Flugelhorn, Trumpet, Writer, Original Co-Producer, RecordingEngineer - Josh Deal, Drums - Polly Cleave, Cello - Luke Jasper Norland, French Horn - Tom Arnold, Viola, Violin
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Nick Atkinson, Backing Vocals, Writer - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Mike Spencer, Producer, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Programmer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Russell Fawcus, Violin - Gabrielle Aplin, Guitar, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Tom Wilding, Backing Vocals - Alfie Hudson-Taylor, Backing Vocals
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Richard Pryce, Double Bass - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Joel Pott, Writer - Rhian Porter, Cello, Violin - Mike Spencer, Producer, Keyboards, Percussion, Programmer, Backing Vocals, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Emma Owens, Violin - Katherine Jenkinson, Cello - Bryony James, Cello, Violin - Hayley Pomfrett, Violin - Kotono Sato, Violin - Rosie Danvers, String Arranger, Cello, Violin - Sally Jackson, Violin - Kerenza Peacock, Violin - Finn Eiles, RecordingEngineer - Rebecca Jones, Viola, Violin - Liz Horsman, Backing Vocals, Additional Programmer - Alison Dods, Violin - Sarah Sexton, Violin - Gabrielle Aplin, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Steve Mair, Double Bass - Tom Crouch, Guitar - Josh Deal, Drums - David Guest, Bass Guitar - Patrick Kirenan, Violin - Helen Cowen, Strings, String Recording Engineer - Deborah Widdup, Violin - Claire Ashby, Violin - Karenza Peacock, Violin
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Nick Atkinson, Backing Vocals, Writer - Jon Scott, Backing Vocals - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Mike Spencer, Producer, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Programmer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Finn Eiles, RecordingEngineer - Liz Horsman, Additional Programmer - Gabrielle Aplin, Guitar, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Tom Wilding, Writer - Alfie Hudson-Taylor, Backing Vocals - Josh Deal, Drums - Ben Collard, Backing Vocals
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Rudy Pérez, Writer - Nick Atkinson, Backing Vocals - David Kosten, Producer, String Arranger, Keyboards, Original Producer, RecordingEngineer - Kevin Metcalfe, MasteringEngineer - Mark O'Toole, Writer - Holly Johnson, Writer - Peter Gill, Writer - Brian Nash, Writer - Mike Spencer, Producer, Drums, Additional Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Piano, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Augusta Harris, String Arranger, Cello - Gabrielle Aplin, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, MainArtist
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2012 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Richard Pryce, Double Bass - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Patrick Kiernan, Violin - Rhian Porter, Cello - Mike Spencer, Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Programmer, Writer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Emma Owens, Viola, Violin - Katherine Jenkinson, Cello - Bryony James, Cello - Hayley Pomfrett, Violin - Kotono Sato, Violin - Rosie Danvers, String Arranger, Cello - Sally Jackson, Violin - Kerenza Peacock, Violin - Finn Eiles, RecordingEngineer - Rebecca Jones, Viola, Violin - Liz Horsman, Additional Programmer - Alison Dods, Violin - Sarah Sexton, Violin - Gabrielle Aplin, Guitar, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Steve Mair, Double Bass - Alfie Hudson-Taylor, Backing Vocals - David Guest, Bass Guitar - Helen Cowen, String Recording Engineer - Deborah Widdup, Violin - Claire Ashby, Violin - Max Clilverd, Guitar
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Nick Atkinson, Backing Vocals, Writer - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Mike Spencer, Producer, Percussion, Programmer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Liz Horsman, Additional Programmer - James David, Additional Programmer - Gabrielle Aplin, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Tom Wilding, Trumpet, Backing Vocals, Writer, RecordingEngineer - Max Clilverd, Guitar
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Luke Potashnick, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Writer, Original Co-Producer, RecordingEngineer - Damon Wilson, Drums - Sam Miller, RecordingEngineer - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Mike Spencer, Additional Keyboards, Programmer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer, Co- Producer - Liz Horsman, Additional Programmer - Gabrielle Aplin, Guitar, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Jim Irvin, Percussion, Writer - Julian Emery, Guitar, Writer, RecordingEngineer, Co- Producer - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Mike Spencer, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Keyboards Programming, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer, Co- Producer - Liz Horsman, Guitar, Additional Programmer, Rhodes Piano - Gabrielle Aplin, Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Iain Archer, Writer - Mike Spencer, Producer, Drums, Keyboards, Percussion, Programmer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Gabrielle Aplin, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Adam Argyle, Piano, Writer, Loops - Luke Potashnick, Additional Producer, Instrumentation, RecordingEngineer - Damon Wilson, Drums - Mike Spencer, Additional Producer, Additional Programmer, MixingEngineer - Gabrielle Aplin, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Barry Grint, MasteringEngineer
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Iain Archer, Writer - Mike Spencer, Producer, Drums, Keyboards, Percussion, Programmer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Gabrielle Aplin, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Barry Grint, MasteringEngineer
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
David Kosten, RecordingEngineer - Mike Spencer, Writer, MixingEngineer - Amy Langley, Cello - Gita Langley, Violin, Strings Arranger - Amy Stamford, Viola - Gabrielle Aplin, Piano, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Tom Crouch, Guitar - Rosie Langley, Violin - Barry Grint, MasteringEngineer
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Nick Atkinson, Backing Vocals, Writer - Christian Wright, MasteringEngineer - Mike Spencer, Producer, Drums, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Programmer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Liz Horsman, Additional Programmer - James David, Audio Recording Engineer - Gabrielle Aplin, Guitar, Piano, Backing Vocals, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Alfie Hudson-Taylor, Backing Vocals
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Nick Atkinson, Backing Vocals, Writer - Mike Spencer, Producer, Keyboards, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Gabrielle Aplin, Piano, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Nick Atkinson, Writer - David Kosten, RecordingEngineer - Mike Spencer, MixingEngineer - Gabrielle Aplin, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Tom Wilding, Writer - Barry Grint, MasteringEngineer
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Album review
Gabrielle Aplin's first success came from the unlikely source of a Christmas TV advert that became inescapable in the U.K. during the 2012 festive period. Her cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Power of Love" almost managed to snatch the coveted U.K. Christmas number one spot away from the glare of the public's favorite X Factor hopeful. However, prior to this flurry of fame, Aplin had already amassed a loyal following from her YouTube channel -- which had already surpassed ten million views. Here on her debut full-length, English Rain, Aplin explores her country-folk-inspired pop sound, with the addition of a full band and production from Mike Spencer (Emeli Sandé, Ellie Goulding, Rizzle Kicks). The opening tracks clearly speak to her known influencers, Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell, as the rousing "Panic Cord" sets the tone of the record, and Aplin reflects on a broken relationship to a Mumford & Sons-esque folk romp. However, it's on the record's quieter moments that she sounds most comfortable. "How Do You Feel Today?" is simply accompanied by a delicate string arrangement, while "Home" and "November" are allowed to swell naturally to a satisfying chanted chorus ending. In addition to stirring stadium folk tunes, Aplin knows how to write a power ballad, and the slow burning "Salvation" brings together her best assets for a beautiful piano-led track that evolves into an unexpected crescendo of synths and drums. Although it is expected to appear here by fans, her popular cover of "The Power of Love" would do better to have been left as a bonus track or simply in its Christmas single state, as it fails to sit comfortably alongside her own body of work. Other fleeting moments of promise raise their heads throughout, such as the Amy Macdonald-sounding "Human" and the hymnlike "Ready to Question," which both fall to the wayside somewhat. The sleek-sounding production is at times rather heavy-handed, and even though in some instances the additional strings and array of instrumentation are welcome additions, a better introduction to Aplin may have been through the simpler methods that brought her so many plaudits from her stripped-back YouTube covers.
© Scott Kerr /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 19 track(s)
- Total length: 01:09:30
- Main artists: Gabrielle Aplin
- Label: WM UK
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited ℗ 2013 EMI Records Limited under exclusive licence to Warner Music UK Limited
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