Lucinda Belle: Think Big: Like Me – Review

Lucinda Belle’s new record Think Big: Like Me focuses on the artist’s inner turmoil as she questions relationships amongst sultry jazz and blues.

Award-winning Harpist and multi-genre pioneer Lucinda Belle is no stranger to putting her feelings out there. Her music has always been based around emotions since she began performing, and with her skills in both harp and creating beautiful melody-laden vocals, it’s led to her receiving many music accolades including an Oscar nomination. New record Think Big: Like Me takes everything she’s learned through her career and wraps it up in an emotional package, as the artist uses her seductive and ‘classic Hollywood’ style to pour her heart out amongst jazz, blues and soul. 

Opener Baby Don’t Cry kicks off with Lucinda’s signature sultry vocals on full display as she lets her audience know exactly where her head is at: “You know rivers run deep but the heart is blind.” Gentle harp embraces the background with vocals inviting in brass to give the track that classic ‘noir’ feel. This is all before it really kicks in and drums take over with the beat upping the pace. Think of it as Amy Whitehouse meets Nancy Sinatra and you’d be on the right track.

Where Have All The Good Men Gone focuses on the ‘break up’ album theme as Lucinda warns her listeners to watch out for love: “21, I bet you’ve seen a little heartache, when you’re 30 it’s time to learn from your mistakes”. Lucinda even mixes in spatters of reggae both musically and vocally as blue-eyed soul and jazz connotations are littered throughout. New Boy then slows things down and goes back to basics with the artist relying heavily on her fantastic vocals against her skilled harp playing. She really belts out the track before hip-hop style beats are added. It’s Sensual, alluring, and mesmerizing. 

Lucinda manages to make everything feel so effortless, no matter what genre she brings into her special sound. My Only Lament takes in a soulful atmosphere of love lost and hurt amongst settled instrumentation and emotional vocals, whereas Nothing To Do But Smile’s jazzy bebop style allows the artist to fluctuate between friendly tones and added lyrical bite: I’m waiting in the rain, looks like I’ll be late again because the bus can’t fucking run on time”. A real album highlight.

As the record progresses we get further and further into the singers thoughts and feelings. Washed Up On Love sounds like the singer almost giving up on relationships as she litters tales of heartbreak amongst sultry melodies and classic Hollywood era hooks, whereas album closer Don’t Go Chasing Your Heart perfectly sums up the journey the record takes and the realisation of the processing of emotions the artist has been through. 

Think Big: Like Me is a wonderful record that sees Lucinda reborn as the record progresses. From heartache to anger, solitude to reliance on others, the messages flit through a troubled mind that’s been damaged by love, before coming to some strong conclusions by the end. This journey of the soul is enveloped around beautiful noir-esque instrumentation, sultry elegance and a smattering of different genres based around jazz and blues. A truly complete record.

Score: 5/5

By Jamie Parmenter