''June Babies'', the first album by English singer-songwriter

Rebecca Hollweg Rebecca Hollweg (born 30 June 1964) is an English singer-songwriter. She has been described as "a talented songsmith" who "combines old-school craftsmanship with Joni Mitchell's perspectives on relationships and environment" and "a silky-voiced ...

, was released on 9 October 2001 on Emu Records. Consisting of melodic pop songs, it featured string arrangements by Chris Bowden and a guest appearance by

Jeb Loy Nichols Jeb Loy Nichols is an American-born singer, songwriter, and musician, who is based in Wales. His music combines elements of soul, Country music, country, Folk music, folk, reggae and blues. Biography Jeb Loy Nichols was born in Lander, Wyoming ...

. It was critically acclaimed in the British national and music press and was played on Jeremy Vine's

BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...

show. The title track was used in a BBC television programme about women runners.

Production and launch

The album was produced and recorded by Andy Hamill in London.

Reception

Dan Cairns, writing in the ''Culture'' section of '' The Sunday Times'', praised "the title track’s ode to friendship and late developers, the bare-bones upcloseness of Where Are You Going? and the wryly observational Is It Me You’re Looking For?" and said: "there is something of oniMitchell in her soaring vocal lines and uzanneVega in her confessional ones, though there are unexpected echoes, too, of Marianne Faithfull at her throatiest". Rob Beattie in '' Q'' magazine described her as a "gifted tunesmith, happy to wrangle words into memorable phrases ('You cannot see these bruises/They are inside my head')" and praised "Weather Song, with its infectious chorus, and the beautiful, bouncing Warhol and Williams". Songs from the album were played on Jeremy Vine's

show. The title track was used in a BBC television programme about women runners.

Track listing

#"June Babies" (3:14) #"Getting On" (3:35) #"Sorry" (2:44) #"Warhol & Williams/Playout" (4:27) #"Is It Me You're Looking For?" (3:48) #"Long Lie" (3:14) #"Dancing in the Kitchen" (3:04) #"Weather Song" (2:19) #"Have You Heard the Birds Sing in the Night?" (3:30) #"Take Me Away" (3:38) #"Where Are You Going?" (3:31) #"Existential" (3:39) ''Running time: 41:46''

Personnel

* Rebecca Hollweg – vocals, acoustic guitar * Andy Hamill – double bass, bass guitars, backing vocals *

– backing vocals on "Warhol & Williams/Playout" * Phil Peskett – piano, electric piano * Mike Outram – guitar, backing vocals * Mark Johns – guitar * Tom Gordon – drums, percussion * Chris Bowden – saxophone * Chris Worsley – cello * Alex Hollweg –

sousaphone The sousaphone ( ) is a brass instrument in the tuba family. Created around 1893 by J. W. Pepper at the direction of American bandleader John Philip Sousa (after whom the instrument was then named), it was designed to be easier to play than ...

on "Warhol & Williams/Playout" * Reiad Chibah – viola * Everton Nelson – violin * Jacqueline Norrie – violin

References

External links

Official website: Rebecca Hollweg
{{DEFAULTSORT:June Babies 2001 debut albums Rebecca Hollweg albums