She Makes War “Brace For Impact”

We’re easily impressed by anyone who can play an instrument, let alone someone like Laura Kidd who is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and visual artist. She delivers her music via the appropriately named She Makes War. We also love the fact that she is described as a warrior who is ‘soothing tortured souls with her no holds barred, peaceful protest music’.

The album opens up in brilliant fashion with “Devastate Me” a great indie rocker that immediately makes you think that the time is right for She Makes War to gain mass critical and commercial success. Together with tracks like “Undone” and “Love This Body” they are the type of songs that you expect to be on constant repeat on alternative radio stations (like BBC 6 music here in the UK). It’s hard to see how “Weary Bird” could be anything other than a hit song that introduces She Makes War to the masses.

However, this album offers up so much more than ‘just’ great indie rockers. There’s a far greater sense of depth and mystery to the songs of She Makes War. That includes the eerily sultry tone of numbers like “London Bites” and “Strong Enough”. Songs like “Then The Quiet Came” and “Fortify” rely on charming their way in to your brain, rather than using less subtle attention grabbers.

It’s pretty special the way that numbers like “Let Me Down” and “Dear Heart” just capture your mind and imagination. Like all good music they can take you in to a different mindset and to a different place. They’re engaging but also leave room for your mind to breathe and dream. It is fitting that the album draws to a close with the cinematic sound of “Miles Away”

It’s probably a bit lazy to reference other standout solo artists like Amanda Palmer, Kate Bush or Juliana Hatfield. But, like those acts, She Makes War brings a sense of importance and gravity to her sound. Importantly the focus remains on making music which has an appeal and pop sensibility to it. However, it also offers up far more than a run of the mill Indie/alternative act. If you don’t yet know She Makes War then you need to change that right now.