Three years may seem like a long time for an album to be produced, but in the case of Wendy James new album Queen High Straight it’s been worth the wait! The release is a rich palette of music creativity combining strong instrumentation with Wendy’s vocal diversity displaying lots of light and shade.
Long term memories will no doubt recall Wendy’s raucous vocals embracing Transvision Vamp hits such as Baby, I Don’t Care and I Want You Love. Queen High Straight allows the listener to hear all sides to her music persona. There are 20 tracks to do it, and although that sounds like a tall order, it is the return to the classic upbeat and perfectly constructed 2.5 minute song and the ability to crush genre tags that make Queen High Straight such a winner.
As the jazzy seductiveness of the title track flows into the grunge rock growling of Perilous Beauty, the contrast of diversity working with flow quickly kicks in. Its honest and it is the real Wendy James.
Stomp Down/Snuck Up displays an air of 1960s psych pop, while you can almost imagine Wendy taking to the stage at a fantasy gig alongside Mama Cass Elliott to perform the trippy Mamas and The Papas influenced pop of I’ll Be Here When The Morning Comes.
The brassy pop of Little Melvin, Cancel it, I’ll See You on Monday and Kill Some Time Blues contrast with the heart-break and story-telling of Liars Promise and Testimonial as well as the chic-ness of Bliss Hotel.
There’s also a nod to the raucous vibe of Wendy’s Transvision Vamp days with Here Comes The Beautiful One and The Impression of Normalcy while Bar Room Brawl & Benzedrine Blues sees Wendy stating the indie rock vibe from the heart, giving her a guitar driven 21st Century anthem.
Queen High Straight is not only an album, it is a journey and a good one! Anyone who thinks the days of an album are long passed could not be more wrong. Thank you, Wendy!
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Queen High Straight is available as a 20 track deluxe gatefold double vinyl, gatefold deluxe CD, regular CD and Digital Download / Streaming. For further details visit Wendy James official website.