'Are You Listening?' When it comes to Saskia Griffiths-Moore's new release, hopefully, the answer for a lot of people will be yes, for it’s an album that deserves a wide audience.
It takes a lot of talent and self-belief to give up a successful Harley Street career as a therapist to pursue your dream of becoming a successful singer-songwriter. That’s exactly what Saskia Griffiths-Moore has done, and there is certainly plenty of talent on display on this latest release.
The vocal resemblance to Joan Baez, perhaps with a touch of Norah Jones’s pacing, is remarkable. It’s used to startling effect on ‘Hallelujah’. This stark rendition of the Leonard Cohen classic more than holds its own over some more bombastic treatments with its simple beauty based on Saskia’s vocal and guitar.
The song’s themes of hope and joy, echo the direction of the album, from the togetherness of the title track:
Place your hands in mine. Let’s get out of here. We’ll run no more from fear. Place your hands in mine.
to the domestic bliss of ‘These Hours’.
There is calming nature to Saskia’s voice, coupled with her uplifting songs. This is a record for these ponderous days.
The hopeful nature of the album is best exemplified by ‘Best of You’:
Don’t give yourself away to someone who doesn’t like you. Don’t work your soul away, ‘cause someday it might come in use, and I pray that you see the light that I see in your mind when you’re at ease. I will wait for the time when it’s right to invite you to unwind with me. I want you to feel. I want you to feel the best of you.
Beautifully simple and emboldening, ‘Are You Listening?’ is a tonic for the times we find ourselves in. Saskia Griffiths-Moore is one to watch and we can expect to hear a lot more from this gifted singer-songwriter.