In the four years since Sticky Music presented us with the finely-crafted all-acoustic debut that was Let's Hear It for Pizza, Juliet Turner has had plenty of time to develop her craft. And that time has certainly paid off in this assured and distinctive sophomore offering.
It was Turner's astute observations of life which marked that debut, and that aspect of her craft has remained intact. But this time they're part of a much fuller tapestry. Producer Gerard Kiely has brought together a rich backing for Turner's vocals, with James Delaney's organ often leading proceedings.
That rich backing is best evidenced in a re-recording of "Dr. Fell," a reworked version of the opening track from Pizza. This time around it's more about swirling 60s organ sounds than acoustic guitar and the transformation suits the song. The first single, "Take The Money and Run" is also lushly arranged, resulting in a great, breezy pop song. Ironic, really, given that the lyrics are dismissive of the cult of celebrity.
The more laid back side of Turner's music is still in evidence, from the careful textures of "Rough Lion's Tongue" to the gently acoustic "Theatre for the Broken" and "Belfast Central." The result is a well rounded record which more than shows why Juliet Turner is considered one of Ireland's most promising artists.
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Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Steve StockmanThe first time I saw Juliet Turner sing she was singing a cover version at a Christian Union meeting and I thought--"If that girl had some good songs she'd be quite good". Eight years later and Juliet has indeed some good songs. They just happen to be her own. But I could never have imagined that that raw and green little girl could have become the woman who looks up from the back of her second…Similar sounding releases
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