The playwright admits to being stunned by the singer's soulful tones
Iain Heggie
I first heard this song at the Oran Mor Christmas carol concert in December of last year. It was the first time I had heard, or heard of, Christine Bovill so I wasn’t prepared for the effect that her voice would have on me.
It was one of those moments that stops you in your tracks and sends shivers down the spine — one of those moments when you hear or see something that you realise will stay with you for the rest of your life. I remember quite clearly thinking: “Where on earth did this beautiful voice come from?”
It’s a strange voice, gloriously honied but also incredibly expressive and soulful. She does a show of Edith Piaf songs, and she does speak French very well, but she has a sweeter voice than Piaf. It manages to be sweet and husky at the same time.
The song is entrancing and heartbreaking but very optimistic in a non-twee way. It’s about the difficulties we face at that time of year. Christmas brings up tricky emotions of isolation and the nagging suspicion that everybody else is enjoying themselves more than you. Is it a dead festival because we don’t have a clear-cut piety in our hearts any more? Can it be a spiritual experience without the trappings of religion? The song confronts and deals with these questions in a very potent way.
It’s not at all sugary or frivolous in the manner of some Christmas songs and I daresay it could be appreciated the whole year round such is the simplicity and beauty of the lyrics.
The combination of flavours work really well — often you have to listen to a song over and over again before it begins to impact on you. But this one hits you straight away, it has an immediacy and depth that sucks you in. In my opinion Christine Bovill is already a star, but she has a voice that truly deserves a wider audience.
Iain Heggie will read from his latest work at DiScomBoBuLate, a poetry, song, prose, drama and comedy event at the CCA, Glasgow, on Tuesday, February 10, that will also feature performances from Alan Bissett, Anneliese Mackintosh and Aidan Moffat, formerly of Arab Strap
Thank you so much Garry and Yann- for the video and for your love and support!
The Bluesbunny - Independent Music Reviews
Christine Bovill live at MacSorleys, Glasgow - 18 September 2007
"Christine Bovill. A new voice to the ears of Bluesbunny and a very impressive one at that. She apologises for her voice. It has suffered as she is a schoolteacher and has had to use much in the way of shouting that day. We kind of like that - mild mannered schoolteacher by day and siren of the soul by night but oh, that voice! Like a sonic combination of dark chocolate and cigarettes, she even steals our attention away from our beloved Guinness and that is no mean feat. With the technical skills of a jazz singer and the passion of a torch singer, she never puts a foot wrong. Her cover of "Your Cheating Heart" seems way too classy for a joint like this but never mind. Quality is quality and these days you take it wherever you can get it. Christine Bovill is, to put it simply, quality......................"
salut la chanteuse! life is not too bad at all in my corner of the world- work is hectic but rewarding and ive been spending lots of time with the congolese community so my french is polished again! added cellist and bass player and oh a singer and a guitarist to my band, bought a gorgeous roland piano too and as a producy of my jazz guitar lessons wrote my first ever proper bossa, tom jobim style- its a lovely feeling when write the kind of song you always wanted too! hope your world is just as fulfilling!
I really enjoyed filming the Onder Invloed session with you in Glasgow last week. I'm putting up some photos on glasgow.onderinvloed.com soon, and I'm sure the footage will be brilliant as well. So thank you very much, and if you ever got plans to tour The Netherlands, give me a shout so we can set something up.
