Seven Rainbows

Recorded over a period of three weeks on an allegedly “non-existent” budget, Seven Rainbows is the debut album from the un-pigeonholeable Londoner Alice Gold. It’s a slightly psychedelic offering that sees the singer embrace the sounds of the ‘60s while splicing together funk, soul, rock and pop with the kind of wild abandon that’s usually associated with mad scientists from old horror films.
Produced by Franz Ferdinand and Miles Kane studio-man Dan Carey, the record wisely lets the husky, honeyed vocals take the spotlight and while the music is inventive and puts a fresh spin on an old sound, we’re never left questioning who the real star of the show is. While the constant genre-hopping may infuriate some listeners, for me the leaps from skuzzy, sexy soul jams (‘How Long Have These Streets Been Empty?’) to Beatles-esque ballads (‘Sadness Is Coming’) to indie pop anthems (‘Runaway Love’) showcase a reasl singer – and the broad musical brush-strokes help her carve out a niche all of her very own.
It’s not all killer material: the sickly sweet ‘Cry, Cry, Cry’ and the maudlin misfire ‘The End Of The World’ are patience-testing at best. But for the most part, Seven Rainbows hits the mark.