It's been quite the summer for Isabella Coulstock, with prestigious support slots with among others The Who at huge venues across the country in front of enormous crowds - however here at #TEAMw21 we won't stop until it's her name at the top of the billboard of those huge venues and the next step in that campaign comes with her latest single, another one word title "Broken".
It's a copper bottomed part of her live set that never fails to impress, and a lucky few of her fans may have also seen her do a marvellous version of it with it's co writer Chaz Jankel. If that name rings a bell, then it should, for among his many claims to fame he was the man who put the tunes to Ian Dury's lyrics that propelled them to top the UK charts, as well writing the equally wonderful "Ai No Corrida" for which you can search out either his or Quincy Jones's version.
"Broken" opens to a mixture of high intensity strumming, synthy strings over an insistent drum beat, over which Isabella lays out a situation of a liaison gone wrong,
"You were like some overnight sensation - Always thought you were older than you were
I never knew you spent your time just waiting, Cos all you did was leave without a word"
It's safe to assume that some time passes between verses
"I was working hard, minding my own business - living my life just the way I wanted
It's funny how everything just changes - in a crowded room I see your eyes again
and we talked until the night faded out - and I still can't remember what we talked about"
The lyrics perfectly captures the moment in a relationship when sparks are ignited and the giddy conversations that can occur. A sparkling piano sound starts to pepper the overall ambience of the track. It all leads to a chorus that takes the song to another level entirely
"And all the lights that guide me home are broken - I know that you've heard that line before
and I can tell the final words unspoken - but you're getting up and walking out the door"
The chorus is sublime capturing the doubts one would naturally have, if hurt before, it simply soars - Isabella's vocals effortlessly increase in volume, while the little thrashing of the guitar at the end of each line transports the listener back to one of her live appearances where she will hold up her guitar to emphasise the point.
There is an undoubted strength to Isabella's writing - the metaphorical line in the next verse that she is unsure whether to cross is a great case in point
There's a distant line and you were standing on the other side
You used to feel like a lifetime away - Don't you find that all the love comes easy
When you should go but all you do is stay"
Even to the very end, the doubts are still there.
The line "Well I can try but baby I'm not sure" is delivered with just that feeling.
The song closes to a lovely little piano fade.
This is only Isabella's second solo single yet there is already a significant progression from her debut which was none to shabby in itself. It seems odd to say for a performer with so many years under her belt and so many career milestones already knocked off, however these are early days in her recording career - she is yet to completely find her sound, though this will do very nicely for now. With a wealth of material ready to delve into, we still see nothing but a bright future ahead for Isabella Coulstock.