Brooke Law - Not For Love

If pushed to name our favourite find of 2022 then it would be hard to name anyone else other than Brooke Law, having seen her a couple of times magmificent in an acoustic setting and then totally transform when placed into a band setting, this little lady seems to have everything going for her. Blessed with a voice that can be soft and tender she is equally at home belting out a tune fronting a full on rock band.

Her latest single bizarrely captures a bit of all of the above and more.

The opening to a heavy strum seems like something of a motivational message to herself, a reminder of quite why she does what she does, the lass glamorous side of things.

"Darkest circles around your eyes

You don't sleep you stay up

Paying bills, working overtime

You just keep keepin on"

It's a song of distinct different parts, the next element is set against just a percussive beat over which Brooke rapidly fires out the words Once again it seems more of a pep talk, a reminder of the bigger prize which must frustratingly feel within touching distance and yet seem so far away.

"Looking in the mirror and you're telling yourself don't cry don't cry don't cry

Gotta be strong if you know what you want it's your life your life your life"

It is the chorus where Brooke undoubtedly seems most at home, the arrival of a kick ass band gives her the freedom to really let loose

"If it's not for love - then what is it for? cos you're not really living if you're keeping score

If it's in your blood and you just want more - just keep on giving till you get it all"

It's easy to see where the comparisons to Alanis Morissette come from and she is undoubtedly an influence, in fact Brooke has been known to sing "Ironic" occasionally however there is more to Brooke than just superficial similarities. She seems gleefully at home fronting the band, rocking out working her voice through the gears and yet giving the impression that there is so much more to come.

Things come to something of a crux at the bridge, where 2 lines like a mantra are repeated.

"If it's not what you wanted then you're wasting your time

But if it's what you wanted then it's worth the sacrifice"

The final element of the song is in some ways the most touching, as we stated at the start Brooke can turn on a sixpence and here we find just her and an acoustic guitar reprising the first half of the chorus, a gentle electric guitar then gradually joins in before once again we are in full band mode.

The coda sees Brooke have 4 or 5 different variations at singing "If it's not for love", each one giving a hint of just how much power is waiting in reserve to be unleashed upon the world. With promises of an album to follow and lots of gems in her back catalogue like her piano version of "Young Hearts Run Free" which will totally change your opinion of what we'd always thought was a light hearted disco tune - there has never been a better time to get to know Brooke Law