Carol Hodge - "Vertiginous Drops" Album Review by Rob H.
Solo album number four from the talented pianist/vocalist following on from the excellent "The Crippling Space Between" that was released in 2021. Each of Carol's albums have been strong but somehow she continues to grow with each one and "Vertiginous Drops" is no exception proving to be a rich and rewarding experience for the listener.
Carol the musician has a diverse cv and has played regularly with the likes of Ginger Wildheart and Steve Ignorant being one of the founding and constant members in the latter's Slice of Life and also providing keys as well as incredible lead vocals in the Steve Ignorant Band when touring C.R.A.S.S. sets.
There are some welcome guest appearances on "Vertiginous Drops" including Mr. Wildheart who contributes a guest vocal on "The Price" that bolsters the chorus, additional guitar from Chris Catalyst on "Clean The Slate" which is subtly used and really kicks in for the briefest of breaks before returning for the climatic build at the end of the song. "Wrong Side Of The Glass" features guitar from the great Kavus Torabi of Gong & The Cardiacs whilst Kirsty McGee contributes a haunting musical saw and bass flute on closer "Silhouettes" adding to the melancholy of the vocal and lyric.
Elsewhere the majority of the album is split between Carol on vocals, piano and synths (check out the wonderful "Never Run Out Of Things To Worry About") and Dave Draper providing drums, bass and guitar giving a richness to the material that can be performed live by a full band or stripped back for a more intimate solo acoustic feel.
"Oh, Amanda!" talks of a certain American musician, hero worship and seeing through the public image. Carol's piano quite fittingly features heavily at the beginning until the song progresses and builds reflecting the chosen instrument of the songs subject. The wonderfully titled "Bitch Don't Break My Serenity" whilst not reflecting Carol in full on punk mode definitely displays a harder edge to her voice while purists who long for a piano and voice showcase should look no further than "Grayson (Things Always Could Be Worse)".
One of the album's strongest songs comes at the midway point and in "Giving It Up Now" Carol delivers an epic that builds before fading out over a repeated refrain that suggests the self doubt that we all face when making big decisions is always present and that we can always change our minds. As I've now mentioned each song on the album with the exception of opener "Best Will In The World" I will now correct that! As an opener it works perfectly as you can almost imagine it being a bridge between "The Crippling Space Between" and the album you are about to listen to, easing you in while you strap yourself in for the ride to come!
Existing fans will immediately fall in love with this album and for those new to Carol's music be prepared to join them!
"Vertiginous Drops" is available in physical formats from Carols website and Bandcamp page and will be released on digital platforms on the 10th March.
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