UK singer-songwriter and pianist Freya Ridings took on Paul McCartney when she released her third studio on the same week as The Boys of Dungeon Lane. Fitting really because this is a plucky lady. Clash magazine is on the same page as us in finding echos of the powerful and affirming vocals of Florence and the Machine. This time around her music has a greater breadth than previous albums stylistically and in instrumentation, but still retains the combination of pure vocals, strong melodies and lyrics and great production.
For her second album 2023’s Blood Orange she was slightly overwhelmed. “You write a song on your own and it does really well,” she told Apple Music, “and everyone’s like, ‘Have you thought about writing with 20 men you’ve never met?’.” This time she’s back on her own, and kicks off the album with a song none of the ‘experts’ liked back in 2023, “Euphoria”. She and her husband fortunately decided to go with instinct and develop it anyway and it makes a powerful opener;
I’ve got freedom coming from the pain
Fire in my ribcage, fire in my veins
I’ve got freedom coming from the flames
I am a survivor, never gonna change”
Enjoy Freya’s triumphant return with us this week!
New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen on our website - https://www.nznetradio.net.nz/listen
