Charity Stow is a name I started hearing soon after I started the Music Observer project. She write and sings lovingly crafted alt-folk music, sometimes with a poppy edge, other times hinting towards indie-rock - and she's one of the hardest working musicians I know and an all-round great person.
Charity divides her time between Stamford and Nottingham, but seems to have the ability to be in at least two other places at once. She features in live streams, hosts regular Instagram discussions with other musicians, pops up all over Twitter and Tik Tok, is involved with Dubrek Studios in Derby, and plays open mics and gigs across the region. I finally met her at an open-air performance at the bandstand in Stamford (where she appeared on the bill with local stars Chloe Lorentzen and Nath Wilson) a few weeks ago.
The age old pressures of time have meant that Charity hasn't featured on this blog before which felt wrong considering I've been enjoying it for so long. That's why I jumped at the chance to feature her new EP, Perfect Thought, which was released today (24 September).I've heard Charity perform the title track (itself released as a single on 10 September - listen on Spotify here) a few times in various settings, so it's great news that she's chosen to officially release it to the world. It's a beautiful, lilting and calming song - the kind of music Charity excels at.
Perfect Thought also does a great job of showcasing her very special voice. She has a great range, interesting inflections, and a special hint of purity which shines through at certain, golden moments. Although I don't usually like making comparisons, to me there are hints of Joni Mitchell there at times, too.
What stood out to me when listening to the single - and the
whole of the Perfect Thought EP in fact - was the fullness and richness of the sound. Charity is a great solo acoustic performer, and says that she always writes songs from that starting point, with the lyrics and story being the core of her music; but when she goes in to the studio and comes out again with all those added sonic layers built on to her songs, that somehow unlocks another dimension to the music.
Charity told me that she really enjoyed that process of adding different elements to her songs, to end with the finished record - having not necessarily known, at the very start, exactly how that final product would sound. Despite having to work through lockdowns, recording some elements at home, and laying down other parts in the studio, Charity has managed to craft something which sounds so right, and so polished.
Track two on the new record is 'Timothy'. This is a song which you'll feel has existed always - one of those timeless ones, which Charity has woven from the air and gifted to us. It's bouncy, with a catchy, sprinkly, 50s-vibing piano riff, and the song really opens up in the chorus. And yet, there's a real barb to the lyrics (I won't spoil it) - I love that juxtaposition. Charity's voice takes on a subtly assertive edge, as she archly delivers her thoughts on the unfortunate Timothy. But she doesn't take it too far, keeping her composure - almost like she's maintaining the musical moral high ground musically.
Third comes 'You'. Here, everything is beautifully stripped back to not much more than finger-picked acoustic guitar for most of the song (although there's lap-steel guitar and some atmospheric keyboards as an underlay, and later some pizzicato strings). This is an interesting song structurally with long verse sections, and a chorus which builds out of the verse - just a slight slow down in the overall progress of the music. 'You' is the kind of song which lets you drift away, and get to that place where you forget you're actively listening - the music becomes more of a feeling and a part of your existence, before you slowly emerge, brought back by birdsong (a really nice touch).
Although 'You' is a bit different from the songs that come before (and to the cover song which comes after), it fits into the overall atmosphere and ethos of the EP. You can see the thread that ties the four tracks together. Charity says that she hadn't originally realised that thread was there, but realised she was in a similar headspace for them all, and "managed to sew a through line" between them. It's a great metaphor, which definitely makes sense as you listen through the record.
The EP ends with a lovingly crafted cover of 'Across the Universe', which Charity has, of course, put her own spin on. She delivers the timeless tune softly and breathily, underpinned with subtle keyboards and singing with such gentle passion, soothing as she entertains. To me that's one of her hallmarks. It's rare that I'll listen to one of Charity's songs and not come away with a smile, and feeling just a bit better about the world.
You can listen below and buy the EP from Charity's Bandcamp page
EP photo/artwork: Jay Naylor