Ana Silvera - The Aviary (2012)

Occasionally an album comes along to make you realise just why you fell in love with music - This is one of those. Ana Silvera is hugely talented and the perfect antidote to all the X Factor schlock that we are continually subjected to. For some reason this album takes me back decades but that doesn't mean it's behind the times.

It is just a reminder of the days when albums were lovingly crafted with superb songs and poetic lyrics. The days when music was bright and vibrant and could stun. Yes The Aviary can and does reduce me to tears. It's that good with the classical sounds of violin and cello acting as a counterpoint to Ana's beautiful deep and resonant voice that seems to change in order to convey her songs. I had the pleasure of seeing Ana live at a small but excellent venue in Norwich and this record includes most of the songs covered that night. There are so many points of reference. Manon sounds like Janice Ian around the time of her classic "Between the Lines" album. Other tracks have an early Elton John feel to them and to me Ana is the female partner to my favourite British singer-songwriter John Howard. Some of the arrangements and phrasing are so similar. The great thing about this album is the way Ana has married exceptional poetry, often anchored in fairy tales and myth, with melodies to die for.