Review of Liam Stone's CD "I Didn't See My Reflection For The Entire Month Of March"

Liam Stone: I Didn't See My Reflection For The Entire Month Of March

18-year-old Mr Stone has lovingly nurtured and raised a small bedroom masterpiece.

First track 'The Last Rose' is a perfect, aching tale of loss. Amidst a twinkling haze of crumbling, disjointed words and glistening chimes we are introduced to Liam's tender voice which lifts like a sunrise from a wistful fog. Strangely, it's a 'goodbye' to welcome us into a thoughtful album of heartbreak and hope. 'WMDs' follows, home to some effortless harmonies from co-producer and sustenance-provider Scott Wakefield.

It sounds clichéd to say this, and it may even make some people shudder with fear of 'teenage-angst-strikes-again' syndrome, but the nagging feelings of insecurity, insomnia, anxiety and helplessness experienced whilst growing up and working yourself, your friends, your enemies and the world out are all here, in the form of fluttering, delicate vocals and a hushed, desolate atmosphere. There's nothing you can do but sit and hold your breath, listening to every note of this sometimes shatteringly stark and personal ('Kieran'), other times carefree and celebratory ('Jack's Renaissance') album.

The home-made stamp on this record is both comforting and bare - there's an endearing warmth to it, scattered with mutterings and laughter from Liam and his fellow musicians, yet the creaks of a hand changing chords up and down the guitar neck and the quiet cracklings from the microphones give it a lonely, fragile touch.

Absolute standout is 'Second Hand Smoke', the whispering, muffled first verse blossoming into a chorus which, if there is anything right with this world, should be sung along to by a cast of thousands with tears in their eyes. It's astounding to think that songs of such startling promise are being thought up whilst traipsing around college corridors somewhere in the vicinity of Manchester.

Some may be sceptical of 'yet another' singer-songwriter clutching an acoustic and a battered notebook of smoky, wine-soaked memories, but although Liam's influences creep in they certainly don't taint his own colours; in fact, it's a wonderful thing to hear this kind of earnest and emotional storytelling coming from such a young heart and mind.

Final track 'Maybe I'm Wrong' dissolves into a blurry fuzz of chopped voices, taking us back full-circle to the beginning. The most advisable thing to do is hit 'Play' again and lose yourself once more in this stirring, melancholic treasure-trove. 'I Didn't See My Reflection For The Entire Month Of March' is a mature and impressive testament to an emerging talent that's both inspired and inspiring, but mainly just 100% beautiful in every way. Keep it up, boy!

Find related articles: second hand smoke, changing chords, last rose, delicate vocals, fellow musicians.