Beth Anne - ​Sing It Loud

Beth Anne

​Sing It Loud
self-released; 2016

3.7 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

It’s uncommon for an artist to step out on their own after playing with a number of different bands. This is the case with Beth Anne who is an artist from San Diego, California. Her first release entitled Sing It Loud contains five songs. On her Bandcamp page, it states her music is “Rooted in folk Americana, traditional Irish music and ’90s R&B.” With that in mind the strongest aspect is folk. The music also falls comfortably in the category of pop.

At the center of these songs are Beth Anne’s vocals and with a voice like hers there’s not much of a need for much else. She has a great voice and I don’t think anyone can deny that. Her vocal delivery has layers of emotion, is dynamic and often quite powerful.

The EP opens with “Glory Be” which from a musical standpoint is rather simple. Beth Anne strums guitar chords while backed by subtle percussion. As I previously mentioned the music doesn’t need to be too fancy when you get vocal work this good. Even if you couldn’t make out one word the song would still feel honest and heartfelt. The vibe is very warm and comforting.

The second track “Sing It Loud” is a little more dynamic and percussion heavy than the opener. There are outstanding vocal harmonies on this song which are a further testament to her talent. Beth Anne continues to showcase top notch songwriting skills with the emotionally resonant “The Beast.”

The highlight on the EP is arguable but I thoroughly enjoyed the beautifully melancholy “Not Wild Not Tame.” I started off by saying Beth Anne doesn’t need much else besides her voice and that’s why I wasn't that surprised the closer “Wild Mountain Flower” was a cappella.

Sing It Loud is an EP that isn't reinventing the wheel but is a welcome addition to anyone who is a fan of acoustic folk music. The songs are consistently good with no lulls. In my book that’s a winning combo.

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