DENISE BLACK’S LOOSE SCREW – Kiss The Joy

DENISE BLACK’S LOOSE SCREW
Kiss The Joy
self released

Well, there you go. I did not know that, but turns out that Denise Osbourne (from Coronation Street) is a singer as well as someone who falls pregnant to Ken Barlow, and gets stalked by Don Brennan. Seems she used to be in a jazz group with Josie Lawrence and Kate McKenzie, and has done the usual post-soap stint of touring regional productions of West End shows. And she also has a folk-pop outfit, the above named Loose Screw.

Of course, they say folk-pop, I say late night cabaret, because it’s not really that folky or indeed, poppy. Although, and this will get the proper folkies excited, the guitarist / producer is Graeme Taylor, who spent the seventies in folk-rock band Gryphon, and who currently serves time with the rejuvenated Home Service. Add they’ve even brought in Home Service’s drummer, Michael Gregory to play on three tracks. But it’s still not folk.

Ms Black does have a decent enough voice, and is particularly good at belting oot a tune. Or as my Granny would have it, “she balls oo’er much”. She’s less good at the ballads, though. On the plus side, there is a lot of wit in the lyrics, and when they manage to get a tune appropriate to her voice, it can be very enjoyable. The opening song, ‘Never Marry A Musician’ is one of them, especially when you consider that Mr Black is exactly that. Elsewhere the likes of ‘Sneazy Neazy’ and ‘Parting Shot’ are well worth repeat plays, with some excellent arranging and accompaniment.

Download @ Amazon or contact Denise at http://www.deniseblack.co.uk/ for a CD copy.