Clare Maguire - The Shield And Sword

The Shield And Sword is one of those records that radiates class. Big disco strings and thundering piano chords, all led by Clare's powerhouse vocals. So much attention has been lavished on Adele of late with her record breaking chart run, but Clare's new single highlights how she's more than capable of holding her own with the big-timers.

One of the stronger cuts from her debut album Light After Dark, I confess, I would have preferred to see the title track get a single release first. Anthemic and epic The Shield And Sword might be, but not to the same degree on the shivers-down-the-spine Gothic beauty of the title track. What we have here though is a rousing, powerful pop record that sees Clare in her element; spinning a bewitching tale of the trials and tribulations of love.

Shield And Sword is available to download from iTunes now.

Sarah Harding goes Gothic!

Well, Miss Harding, I certainly did not expect this! Only a week or so after everyone's favourite girl-band blonde stunned us by going brunette, Sarah Harding has now gone one step further with a stunning gothic, black look for a series of HTC adverts. I've always had a soft spot for Sarah but she looks absolutely amazing here - This kind of edginess suits her so well, it's slick, modern and very, very sexy.

More pictures like this please Sarah!

Clare Maguire - Light After Dark

There's such an abundance of female singer-songwriters around at the moment that you're almost spoilt for choice. But Clare Maguire is the real thing. The genuine article. I've been in love with the scattering of free downloads and EPs she's released previously but now comes the debut album, the real test of her talent.

And you know what, for my penny's worth, this is a better album than those by Jessie J and Adele that are floating around in the shops at the moment. Both of those also represent extremely strong efforts, but with Clare Maguire, she makes things seem effortless. For her, the music becomes one and the same with her. Her sound is magical, deeply soulful, and comes back to the solid core of pure beauty that are her vocals. And boy are they amazing.

There's something of a Leona Lewis to Clare's voice, that husky deepness that speaks of raw passion and lends itself so well to big power ballads. Imagine the likes of Bonnie Tyler and Alison Moyet; those big female 80s voices you just don't get anymore. Clare is all this and more.

The 80s vibe manifests itself across the album which blends icy electronics and thunderous, industrial beats with piano. The Last Dance sees Clare at her most delicate and catchy, a pop gem as strong as anything Ellie Goulding can throw out.

In terms of highlights, they comes towards the end of the album; look out for the stunning You're Electric and the title track. Both see Clare at her most epic - so much so that they become almost filmic. There's this breathtaking futuristic/gothic feeling to the sound, music to sweep up and around the arches and halls of churches and cathedrals... and then on, higher and higher to the stars... onwards to the very limits of the universe.

Light After Dark is an album without bounds. It is vastly inventive, with Clare's talent laid bare for all to see. The sound is cold, but the emotions are infinitely open; tapping into memories we've all experienced. This is music on a universal scale, and Clare most definitely has what it takes to carry it.