Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
The natural charm of Britain’s Southwesterly dominions, Somerset, Devon and of course the free spirited Cornwall, is never in question, what it takes though is observant eyes and a striking soul in which to capture it and put into art; a tough ask in a world where fragile beauty, even in its most rugged form, is not universally enjoyed and appreciated.
It is a beauty that sits hand in hand with theatrical venues and the determination of those charged with keeping its soul pure and picturesque. The countryside, the abundant act of nature in full flow and the mask of character bringing a natural act to the stage going hand in hand and note for note and one of the bright preservers of this feeling was fully appreciated by the Epstein Theatre crowd as she regaled in a short set ahead of Howard Jones return to Liverpool.
In Elise Yuill, a woman whose voice soared to the point where the ceiling inside the theatre would also fall in love with the Somerset born musician, the natural air of keen observation, of a folk singer understanding the point of scrutinising detail and change was to be fully explored and enjoyed.
With a new album on the horizon, Ms. Yuill offered up her soul to the audience and the sight of a crowd gratefully endorsing a free spirit was one that stood up to the most vigorous of musical inspections, the fledgling aspect of a remarkable voice never once lost in the haze of performance, never wavering in the shift of light, was to be congratulated fully.
With songs such as Skylark, Wild Heart, Five Regrets and Survive all making the evening get off to a serene and bountiful start, Ms. Yuill not only offered her soul to the awaiting audience, she offered her vision, of allowing the crowd to see what she observes, with a clear and objective clarity; it is a clarity that will serve her well as more come to hear her sing in her own right over the coming years.
A new dawn in the world of Folk, Ms. Yuill captured an audience’s collective heart and cared for it with tenderness.
Ian D. Hall