Album Review: Laura Fell – 'Safe From Me'

Psychotherapist by day - poet by night, Laura Fell, shares stunning debut album ‘Safe From Me’ – a journey into self-discovery.

Determined to create a collection of songs that go beyond acoustic sceneries, Laura has worked incredibly hard to realise her vision, and the hard work has paid off: the result is absolutely mesmerising. By introducing classical elements like flugelhorns, cellos, saxophones and double bass, Laura takes ‘Safe From Me’ out of folk and into something greater. Each of the record’s eight tracks lives in its own little world born out of rich soundscapes and immaculate storytelling. Their themes are inspired by Laura’s lived experience and hold comfort for her loved ones. Opener ‘Glad’, for example, is a message of hope for her recently divorced parents, as they embark on new lives without one another. Strikingly personal and deeply emotive, the album is hard to put into words without taking away from its magical charm. ‘Safe From Me’ is a record you need to experience. You need to swim in ‘Cold’s muddy waters, climb ‘Every Time’s dancing hills and take in the graceful movements of ‘I Didn’t Mean To’s delicate vocals to really understand the true impact of Laura Fell’s sound. Lyrically, she never fails to hit her mark. Heartfelt and gentle, Laura’s poetic language and introspective take on songwriting are a match made in heaven. Sweeping melody lines complement her breathtakingly soulful vocals and bring out the haunting reality behind realisations like “I couldn’t lie to you, so I lied to me instead”.

‘Safe From Me’ is a timeless debut. Wrapped into intricate arrangements, it showcases Laura Fell’s ability to make attention to detail look effortless. A must listen for fans of Courtney Marie Andrews and Brandi Carlile. 

Words by Laura Freyaldenhoven

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