The Reason
Rachel Tucker
Big Hand Recordings
Albums made by musical theatre stars run risk of sounding unimaginative
when filled with predictable covers. Rachel Tucker's debut solo album,
The Reason, may be an album of covers but Rachel has chosen every single
song for a reason and (along with the help of her team) has made each
song her own. Most importantly the album features a good mix of pop
songs, songs Rachel grew up performing as well as musical theatre
numbers.
The first song 'Small Bump', written by Ed Sheeran, begins the personal
journey of Rachel's album. The star recently celebrated the birth of her
first child making the song extremely personal. The steady
instrumentation complements Rachel's smooth tone perfectly. The melody
is gentle yet catchy, and while Rachel is known for her powerful belt,
it is wonderful to hear the softer side of her voice which comes across
just as effortless.
The album's title track, 'The Reason,' is the first big number on the
album. There is no word which can accurately describe Rachel's belt, she
really lets go on the track and showcases a few of her famous growls
and riffs. The song's gentle ending leads nicely into 'I'll Cover You'. I
dread to think how many people have sung this song, but Rachel sings it
like it was written for her. The version is a little different, RENT
fans will love the special arrangement. Rachel gently glides through her
higher register throughout the song which sounds so pure and
enchanting. The next song is a total contrast, I would never associate
Rachel with Paloma Faith's 'Stone Cold Sober' but Rachel tackles the
song fearlessly. Some may say the song feels a little out of place but
it's great to hear Rachel's fun side.
The next track on the album is Queen's 'No-One But You', a song which
Rachel performed during her time playing Meat in the West End production
of We Will Rock You. Rachel's version is a little different from the
version theatre fans have grown to know and love. I have to admit that
after listening to the track for the first time I wasn't convinced.
However, after a few listens the song is growing on me and I would much
rather get used to a new version of the song than to just hear another
boring cover! Small changes have been made to the melody and the
orchestrations almost sound hypnotic.
Rachel begins her version of 'One Night Only' from Dreamgirls by gently
teasing fans with a few smooth riffs sung in her lower register. She
always manages to get the meaning of a song across without 'overacting',
each song is clearly sung from deep within.
Next Rachel takes on Evanescence's 'My Immortal'. Although I love it
when Rachel lets go, I think I prefer the first half of the song where
Rachel's tone sounds so rich. She captures the song's emotion
beautifully, if you close your eyes you can easily imagine being in an
emotional music video. Rachel pours her heart out in the second part of
the song which suits her range perfectly. 'Gone Too Soon' is the track I
was waiting for, Rachel's rendition almost sounds like a lullabye and
is absolutely stunning.
I know a lot of people will skip straight to track nine after buying the
album to hear Rachel's version of Defying Gravity. Rachel's version of
the musical number is the perfect celebration of her two and a half
years playing Elphaba in Wicked. There are countless versions of Defying
Gravity - as well as the original Wicked soundtrack version there is
Idina Menzel's catchy pop version, Kerry Ellis' face-meltingly-brilliant
rock version, Louise Dearman's beautiful acoustic version and Kimberley
Walsh's emotionless bad version. However, Rachel's version is the only
one which still sounds just as powerful out of context. It works as a
standalone song, without losing the original meaning.
Rachel's version of 'Defying Gravity' is also the only version which
makes me feel the same way I feel after seeing it performed live. Rachel
includes all of her famous riffs and growls during the song's
spectacular climax which is guaranteed to leave you speechless for
several minutes. The version is also a little different, the key change
on the final "kiss me goodbye" works perfectly. Rachel is joined by her
father for the final track, 'Jolson and Judy Medley'. Rachel's voice
blends beautifully with her father's and the medley creates a joyful,
heartwarming ending to this phenomenal album.
You don't have to be a musical theatre fan to love The Reason. If you
want to be taken on a personal journey by an unbelievably talented
female vocalist, then this album is an absolute 'must-have'. I dread to
think about how many times I have already listened to The Reason which
is sure to remain in the 'most played' playlist on my iTunes for many
years to come.
Reviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
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