Key is the fantastic new album from Victoria Vox. When you consider that in December 
she told us that she “love[s] the limitations that come with the ukulele’s simplicity,” this has not prevented her from creating an incredibly diverse album that will leave you wanting more. It is hard to believe when listening to Key that she is able to create such a varied range of sounds using a tiny Ukulele. It certainly proves the adage that it’s not the size, but what you do with it that counts!
Key consists of eleven songs from last year’s Fifty-Two Song Project, where Victoria wrote a song a week for a year. The songs have been selected and carefully compiled to create an album that fits together perfectly. Each song is so different from the previous one that it is difficult to determine which genre to place the album into. There are songs that smack of Jazz, Pop, Country and Western and Soul. Of course each song is inextricably linked by the smooth, cool voice that can only belong to Victoria Vox.
OK, so let’s break it down, baby! Eleven songs, one album, here goes (darn I’m getting good at this reviewing lark).
The opening track, “Daffodil” is very mellow and smooth, opening with a strings and a steady percussion beat which smacks of soul. The lyrics are drawn out through long notes, and although simple, it’s surprisingly effective and catchy, and you’ll find yourself humming it or even singing along. What I particularly like here is that the simple melody which is carried by the vocals is accompanied by a more complex string arrangement of Viola, Violin and Cello, which gives what could otherwise be quite a simple song an extra dimension.
“The Sweetest Melodies” opens with a trumpet, and is accompanied by a gently plucked Ukulele and a steady drum beat which gives an almost Spanish feel to it (Bee informs me from my wobbly description that the phrase I’m looking for to describe this track is “Latin Jazz”, which she assures me is an actual thing and not something she made up to placate me). The vocals are haunting and gentle, and there is something a little sad about the track, and although the lyrics don’t say it, there is a melancholy undertone to the tune, which draws on your emotions.
You aren’t given too much time to dwell on the complex stream of emotions “The Sweetest Melodies” leaves you with, however, as the next track, “Let It Go” has an upbeat, Folky vibe which instantly gets your head bopping and your toes tapping – indeed I looked very strange whilst listening.
“Out the Back Door” has a Jazz tone to it, with cool beats and a sort of funk to it that almost makes me want to call it R’n’B, but I won’t… The sound has a rebellious tone to it, which fits well with the lyrics, which describe a child stealing, then running “out the back door” before she can be questioned about it. It’s considerably better than I’m making it sound here, with awesome drum beats and trumpet accompaniment which all adds to the sound of defiance which is being conveyed in this track.
The next song, “Guarded Heart” has a gentle vulnerability to it, both touching and sweet, and the use of piano and what sounds like a glockenspiel (but probably isn’t) makes the entire song much more gentle than “Out the Back Door” and as such follows on perfectly.
I could easily go on and analyse every single song, but hopefully I’ve given you a little taster of how incredibly well designed and fitted together this diverse album is, so I would like to finish up by giving a shout out to my very favourite track, “Remember the Music”. It is just so darn cool. To me it screams ’50s Swing style of the likes of Doris Day. There is something warm, fond and familiar about this track. It really needs to be in a classic musical, it’s just great.
The thing that is most impressive about this album, is not how diverse it is, but how incredibly simply Victoria Vox manages to make her voice (as well as her Ukulele – not a euphemism) fit with every style. It is a completely natural transition into each song, and as such the compilation slots together perfectly.
Need to find out for yourself? You can hear the album and get your digital copy on Victoria Vox’s Bandcamp page or get the physical CD, in a rather nice, environmentally friendly cardboard case, complete with 20 page photo-sheet/lyric booklet at victoriavox.com.
And if, like me you are now a bit of a fan you can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.
Also, you can like us by clicking to blue “F” to the top right of your screen. You know you do anyway, so just get it out of the way, you’ll totes feels better afterwards, probably. OK, I’m done, go check out the album, it’s good.
