I am writing this review from Spain. There are many beaches nearby but no cliffs, only enormous mountains in the near distance. To me, the cliff is symbolic of the British seaside as so much of our coastline is chalk.
I oscillate between major and minor high
We oscillate between hate and desire
Between the icy cold and the hottest fire
Between life and the funeral pyre
Anna May has a beautiful, classical singing voice and classical acoustic guitar style. Her songs are often dreamy, and often long. This one is almost eight minutes, although it feels shorter.
I hear the tales are going around
And I’m bound to have a mental breakdown
Baby, maybe you could show me how
While you wait for the crowd
To say wow
They don't know you're sour
Breaking hearts by the hour
You trample all over a blooming flower
Every so often, Anna will toss in a killer, cutting line. There is a lewd dick mention in this song. This is the only reason I can see for the Explicit warning. This is otherwise very engaging, mellow and highly accomplished songwriting.
There is a lot of lyric here, and I am always drawn to the words in songwriting. Without lyrics, you have no song, only instrumental music. That is fine in a movie or in the gym, or the retail store, but for me songwriting is mainly about the lyrics. This is one reason I love The Cliff. With just one acoustic guitar, the lyrics are the focus.
Anna May thinks deeply about her world and her music, and performs so often it is tiring just following her on Instagram.
You can catch up with Anna May on her own website, on Instagram and on all the usual streaming services. Anna is also active on YouTube.
