Last updated 05:36, Friday, 25 July 2008

Thea GilmoreWith a voice that has been likened to the vocal prowess of Chrisie Hynde, Thea Gilmore can boast a quality fan base that includes Bruce Springsteen and Joan Baez. Her own bout of depression and a split with a long-term partner can be identified in the melancholy textures of some of her songs, as can her joy at motherhood.

Thea says: ‘Making music is one of your best chances in life to be honest. Writing songs is about telling your truths.’ It wasn’t hard to feel that truth in the atmosphere that emanated from the stage.

Her new album Lifejacker is achieving the kind of effusive reviews that most artistes can only dream of. The music tastes a little like Joni Mitchell, with its peppering of the bleaker side of life as a woman.

On stage with her producer Nigel Stonier, who has received serious recognition as a record producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and live performer, Thea took us on a journey of emotions and observations on life, portrayed in her songs. We could probably all understand her song calling for a ‘young heart with an old soul’. Stonier provided mellow guitar and Dylan-esque jaunt into harmonica playing.

There is a hint of Clive Gregson’s song-writing to some of her numbers. In Contessa she introduces us to her alter-ego devil, who sounds an interesting character. There is some sauce in the on-stage dialogue, a hint of the Contessa side of Thea, perhaps.

FI EXON