From London With Tennessee Soul: Lauren Pritchard

[wpaudio url=”https://editorial.americansongwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2011/02/11-When-the-Night-Kills-the-Day.mp3″ text=”Lauren Pritchard – When The Night Kills The Day” dl=”0″]

A few years ago, right around when Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black was tearing up the charts and taking home Grammys, there was an idea for a female singer that could bridge naughty retro funk with a soul-jazz sophistication and a deep south ’70s R&B-country sound. A sort of Amy Winehouse-meets-Keith Richards, if you will.

Originally from Jackson, Tennessee, but now based in London, Lauren Pritchard made be just what the world is missing.

Since starting to work with Francis “Eg” White in the UK, Pritchard’s music career has taken off. Last October, she released her debut album Wasted In Jackson on White’s Spilt Milk label, with backing from Universal Island, which is home to Amy Winehouse. Pritchard’s “Painkillers” is kind of like an answer song to Winehouse’s “Rehab” or “You Know I’m No Good.” “No painkillers make it go away, I tried them once before, It didn’t work for me,” sings Pritchard over a classic Carole King melody.

Now the U.S. will get a chance at reclaiming Pritchard. Her album comes out physically in the States on February 22, and she’ll tour in March and April.

Wasted In Jackson is a darkly joyous record that shows off all the multiple talents and musical sides of Pritchard. “Not The Drinking” starts out like a sweet little piece of New Orleans acoustic blues, but morphs into a retro soul number with Stax horns and crunchy four-on-the-floor drums. “I Hope It’s You” has a funky-disco dance vibe, with ‘80s synths and a slinky bassline, and a singalong coda.

“When Night Kills The Day,” which Pritchard co-wrote with Ed Harcourt, was produced by Marcus Mumford, of Mumford & Sons. It’s the album’s last track and features Pritchard’s soaring voice exploring Mumford’s atmospheric folk territory.