Lucy Kitchen - Sunny Days (Bohemia Rose) [Folk]

The Slow Music Movement
18 minutes ago
2 min read

The cover for folk singer Lucy Kitchen's, "Sunny Days" single, shows Kitchen with bangs sitting in a café, holding a coffee cup, gazing outside. Reflections and posted notices on the window. Text: "Sunny Days Lucy Kitchen".

Lucy Kitchen is an old soul in a young body, and in today's faddy and often vacuous, here today gone tomorrow world, strong foundations built on the enduring work of the greats is often a reassuring and welcome approach to music creation.

A singer and multi-instrumentalist (flute and guitar) based in small town England - Romsey in Hampshire to be precise, which I imagine are the sort of perfect, sleepy, time forgotten surroundings to hone her obvious seventy's vocal and compositional influences into her personal folk vision. She's certainly got the ability to reinterpret those guiding lights into great art, a fact increasingly recognised by radio stations and an eclectic range of collaborators charmed by her voice. If that wasn't enough she's also self-releasing on her own label, it appears she can do it all.

Folk singer Lucy Kitchen sits on a windowsill, gazing outside. A guitar rests nearby. Daffodils in a vase and patterned cushions add color to the cozy room.

Just what I'm lacking in rain and wind swept northern Portugal, "Sunny Days" in fact isn't stoic winter optimism or a climatic cry for help, but a beautifully crafted ode to newfound love, and when sung or played in this fashion has a similarly warming, spirit rallying effect as those sun blessed moments.

Harking back to the momentous summer when she met her husband, the song sets off on a trip down memory lane with the sort of jazz infused folk groove that immediately makes life alright again, even after all that doom scrolling. She's obviously a natural band leader too and Tali Trow on Guitar and keys, Jon Thorne on Double Bass with Pat Kenneally laying down the Drums repay her faith with the sort of warm, voice elevating tune that any great singer needs.

Attention grabbed, Kitchen's pure and true tones then float through the speakers with a rare lightness, and there's no turning back. The lyrics take us back to those first, simultaneously exciting and nerve racking moments with a partner to be - the should I shouldn't I hold their hand or lean in for a kiss questions that favour the brave and reward all involved with tingles of excitement, thoughts of sleepless nights, cosy lie ins and hope for the future. A classic folk song about love's first days is nothing new, but when it sounds as good as this, always welcome.

Look out for Lucy Kitchen's, In The Low Light album on February 27th.