Lorraine Maher‘s name maybe known to many on these shores as a finalist of ‘You’re A Star’. Fast forward a couple of years and the now Los Angeles based singer has released her second E.P. entitled ‘Inspire Me’.
The title track opens proceedings and immediately captures your attention. It builds up beautifully and twin guitar tracks keep the production interesting. While the production may be minimalist, just these guitars and percussion, this gives Maher’s voice it’s place in the spotlight.
Throughout the E.P., Maher shows great songwriting skills and has lovely structure to her songs. ‘For You’ shows this and as the song builds up, Maher’s voice rises to show the intensity of the lyrics.
There’s something about Maher’s storytelling ability in her songs, if Dawson’s Creek or The OC were on television, she would no doubt in on the soundtrack. Although heartfelt, her lyrics can be dark, showing herself to be a tough cookie. This can be heard on ‘Your Last Time’. The uptempo track subtly hides the dark undertones.
The E.P. finishes with ‘Don’t Say Goodbye’ and show’s Lorraine Irish background with the inclusion of a beautifully played whistle.
This is a really good introduction to Lorraine Maher and with a new album due next year it will be interesting to see if she decides to stay with an acoustic production or head towards a more full band feel. Definitely an artist to keep an eye on.