21052014 - Ruth Copeland "Self Portrait"

The second song on this album, "Thanks for the Birthday Card", is so beautiful and sad that you will be all mushy and teary eyed by the end of it. The contrast to "Your Love Been So Good to Me" is immense, but that song shows the other end of Copeland's spectrum - groovy, soulful and raunchy. "The Music Box" sounds pretty sugary sweet until she starts sobbing towards the end of the song, and... well, the fact that there's sobbing says it all really. "The Silent Boatman" is dramatic and moody, and so it continues - each tune has its own mood, and the vocals are tailor-made for whatever that particular song demands: sad, sentimental, sensual and sugary sweet. And more. Simply brilliant!