Anna Calvi’s brand new album Hunter takes inspiration from all corners of every art form. There are times her voice conjures the image of Siouxsie Sioux and then other times, like her vocal solo in “Don’t Beat The Girl Out Of My Boy,”‘ which rival the vocals in Pink Floyd’s “Great Gig In The Sky”. Hunter is an album which embraces everything and shies away from nothing.
The album kicks off with “As A Man” which lets listeners know Anna Calvi’s views on gender and challenges us to follow. “If I were a man in all but my body/ Oh would I now understand you completely?” she sings. The single “Hunter” follows, which is serious with a moody vibe but never mopey.
The entire album showcases Calvi’s incredible vocal range. The classically trained singer lures us in with her deep, broody tone and then blows us away when she hits the high notes in her solos. You can really hear this in both ‘Hunter’ and ‘Don’t Beat The Girl Out Of My Boy’ but her talent is bursting out of every track.
“Indies Or Paradise” is a track which if you’re not careful, will be stuck in your head all day. She howls “I want us in the air in paradise / I get lost in the air in Paradise” and suddenly we feel like we’re lost up there too. The track has definite post-punk undertones and it wouldn’t be overly bold to compare the guitar sounds to bands like Television and Joy Division.
“Chain” and “Wish” are also admirable. The guitar solo in “Wish” starts with an edgy riff and then takes us on an instrumental journey. Her guitar tone is deliciously crisp and the bass and reliable rhythm that pulses in each track carries the music along through every twist and turn.
Overall, Calvi has successfully produced an album which is both musically astonishing and vocally mesmerizing. On top of this, she has created an album with a powerful message and has unapologetically used her voice to bravely share her views on gender and liberation.
Calvi is wild and unstoppable – Hunter is definitely an album that impresses and empowers.
