Brooklyn born singer-songwriter Nell Bryden delivered a passionate performance at Plymouth Pavilions supporting the legendary Gary Barlow.
Opening with What Does It Take from her 2009 album of the same name Nell immediately has the crowd in the palm of her hand. She cuts a striking figure – a small girl with an acoustic guitar and a microphone stand subtly clad in roses is not always enough to fill a venue the size of the 4000 capacity Pavilions but One on One Music is pleased to report that she took to it like a fish to water. It’s a sweet and tender love song but Nell still managed to make it seem soft, intimate and utterly beautiful.
The ABBA-esque Tonight is a simple pure pop song and we absolutely love it. There’s something about the sight of one woman and her guitar that just seems to click with this kind of song – we’re not sure what it is but it just works, and the crowd are seriously digging it. She’s just so easy to relate to – her anecdote about Gary Barlow hearing her song on the radio and her shock at being asked to support him on his huge UK solo tour shows just how normal and down to earth she is, and it’s genuinely refreshing to see an artist of her caliber look so relaxed on a big stage.
Nell continued her five song setlist with a sweet and tender version of American radio hit Buildings and Treetops. It’s a classic ballad that seems to take on a whole new meaning live – it’s thoroughly beautiful and we recommend you give it a listen.
One of the great things about Nell Bryden that really sets her apart from most of the artists out there at the moment is that she takes the time to explain the stories behind the songs. Each song was preceded by a tale about it’s compilation – Nell seemed natural at chatting to the crowd and it was great to see a musician putting across their personality during a show.
Penultimate track Sirens was written as a heartfelt tribute to the victims of 9/11 and Nell delivered it perfectly. Each word resonated around the Pavilions, leaving one or two audience members in the vicinity of One on One with a tear in their eye. It’s beautifully crafted, slow building and driving and it’s got a chorus to match – we adore it.
Final track Shake The Tree not only serves as the title track for Bryden’s latest LP but is also probably her strongest song to date. Nell explained how the title of the song came from a conversation with her father, who told her to ‘shake the tree of life and go and get what you want’. We’re SERIOUSLY grateful to her dad, because the end result is an anthemic and feel-good belter of a pop song. A rhythmic verse transforms into a catchy chorus and a building bridge – it’s an absolutely fantastic song and we’ve been blasting it through the office ever since.
So, that’s it. A quick wave, a smile and Nell Bryden is gone. There’s no bravado, no ego – just simple and pure pop songs and a whole lotta talent. She’s one of our favourite new artists here at One on One Music and we urge you to check her out because we think she’s absolutely fantastic.