Read our review of the dark Fearless Heart by Pauline Andres
By Rob Dickens
The Artist
Pauline Andres
The Album
Fearless Heart
The Cover
The Release Date
February 2 2018
The Label
Old Souls Records
The Introduction
A well-traveled singer-songwriter, Pauline Andres was born in France as a coal miner’s daughter, she’s lived in Paris, London and Berlin (five years in the latter city). Her wanderings have involved life-threatening diseases, late-night fights and all kinds of heart breaks. Anders recently settled in Nashville where she recorded a somewhat accidental EP with the gnarly title F**k You French Girl and two full albums All Them Ghosts (2014) and The Heart Breaks (2016).
The Background
For the new record Fearless Heart, she wanted a bigger sound and an eclectic mix of tunes ranging from indie rock, Americana to even a Christmas song. The songs address heartaches, the search for a home and even recent tragic events in Europe. The album is being released from Nashville after a bumpy recording ride that took it from Berlin to New York, Turin and Nashville.
The Recording
Andres wrote, composed, played and produced all the songs on the new record, reflecting her history of independence, both in material and process. She has had critical support, however. First and foremost from longtime friend and former band member Jack Davis (Bear Witness Production) a US native, Berlin-based producer and multi-instrumentalist. There are also contributions from musicians she has worked with before including Thomas Guiducci, Stefano Chiappo, and Nashville-based pedal steel champion Andy Ellison. The record was mixed by Grammy-nominated engineer Ross Petersen, who’s worked with some of the biggest names in the industry including Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow and Shania Twain.
The Quote
“You could call it Americana infused with rock and alt-country. I call it music to drink liquor to”
The Clip
The title track “Fearless Heart” which was the lead single:
The Track List
1. Loneliest Girl in Nashville
2. Fearless Heart
3. Good Grace
4. October 29
5. Country on My Mind
6. Let’s Be Outlaws
7. Can’t Keep a Town
8. A Heart That’s True
9. Christmas in Paris, TN
10. World War III With You
11. Can’t Keep a Town (Instrumental Goodbye)
The Verdict
Having a lot of homes in the past can be problematic, both personally and professionally. This unsettling instability can have positive impacts – plenty of sources from which to draw with pen and paper – or adversely cross too many bridges in style and audience. Andres’ move to Nashville has been highly beneficial for Fearless Heart.
Dreamy vocals, tough and skilled lyrics with some of the best pedal steel you will hear for a while pervade the collection.
You can enjoy the Americana/alt.country nuances in “Loneliest Girl in Nashville”, “Country On My Mind” and “October 29”, the driving layered rock of “Fearless Heart” and “Good Grace” , the earnest ballads of “Can’t Keep A Town”, “WWIII With You” and “Can’t Keep A Town” and the jangly pop of “Christmas In Paris, TN”. The closing instrumental reprise of “Can’t Keep A Town” is so damn beautifully winsome.
Plenty to relish from the complex and hard-edged insights of this dark and exciting artist. Fearless and rewarding.
Key Tracks: “Loneliest Girl in Nashville”, “Fearless Heart”, “Can’t Keep A Town (instrumental Goodbye)”
Read our review of the dark Fearless Heart by Pauline Andres
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