Daniel Merriweather - Love & War

Local Lad Daniel Merriweather’s debut Album release is finally here! Noted most recently for his vocals on Mark Ronson’s cover of The Smith’s “Stop Me”, the 27 year old singer-songwriter has spent the best part of the last 18 months writing and recording with Ronson as well as touring with his band the Version Players. The first single “Change” featuring American Hip Hop artist Wale is currently on regular rotation on commercial radio and charted as high as #8 in the UK. The follow up single “Red” is a catchy soulful ballad which is destined to be another chart success. Daniel’s unique voice, coupled with Ronson’s pop production results in a very solid neo-soul record.

Merriweather - “Every song started with me sitting down with a guitar but they all ended up somewhere totally different. That is why working with Mark was a real blessing, he works a lot with the Dap Kings. I brought them a whole bunch of songs that they wouldn’t naturally play on and their amazing musicianship really helped these songs evolve. I wanted to let go of genres and make an album of just songs being played by good people. I wanted it to be a natural one, to innocently maybe naively find its own place...These days there is too much thinking and not enough singing songs, whatever happened to singing songs?”

Stand out tracks include “Impossible” and “Water and a Flame” featuring the vocals of Grammy Award winning British singer Adele. Highly recommended as one of the few must have albums of 2009.

Love & War is out on June 5 through Universal Music.

- Review by Rich B.