I like Radio 2 – they play cracking old music, and cherry-pick the best of the new stuff while avoiding all the trash that seems to fill up the charts. I’ve mildly gone off Jem at the moment (probably over-exposure), but just love “Here’s the Love” by Hayley Hutchinson, from her Independently Blue album. Turns out she’s from York (as far as I can tell), and working in a soldering factory. The album is – in one sense – yet another female singer/songwriter country type album – but I don’t think that does it justice, from what I’ve heard. “Here’s the Love” in particular is a really uplifting track, and just puts a smile on my face! Plus it’s got that cheeseboard scrape-y instrument that they was on the old Grange Hill theme tune. 🙂
Her website is progressive in as much as it’s got the first minute and a bit from several tracks of her album on MP3 – but is not quite so hot in that it’s entirely flash based. Still, the content is good, and from the photos she looks like a sweetheart! Anyway, the album is out on the 25th July, and “Here’s The Love” is out on the 18th, and I reckon it’s a good tip for the charts. Probably not quite a No. 1, as I don’t think it’s appeal is mainstream enough, but wouldn’t be at all surprised at a top ten.
What’s also probably worth noting is that she recorded and financed this album herself (and sold it from her website at first!), but after our Tel noticed it it got a bit more exposure and now she’s signed up with a record company who are releasing it more formally. Seriously tempted….