Rachel Drew - Old Sky New (2024)

Melody Driven, Punchy Chicago Americana With a Laurel Canyon Back Bone. In a parallel universe; or perhaps a movie, Chicago singer-songwriter Rachel Drew would be ‘discovered’ by a down on their luck Band Manager or burnt out Pop Star and as the end credits roll you would see her collecting a Grammy or such like.
In the real world she’s a backing/harmony singer who is self-releasing and self-publicising her second album of well curated and articulate songs; hoping for a review by the likes of RMHQ.

Life ain’t fair, is it? Just because she got in touch personally following a recommendation, that still doesn’t guarantee a review; just a listen to a couple of songs to decide if it’s suitable for the site.

Halfway through opening track, Whenever I Dream Of You, with it’s 60’s nightclub Soul-Jazz melody, I looked across at Mrs Magpie to see she was not just tapping her foot but mumbling along with the chorus …. high praise indeed.

As we progress there’s something of a hint of Dusty in Memphis, minus the strings here; as Rachel actually has a similar breathy and pearlescent voice that reels you in, and before you know it you’re sitting totally engrossed in the offering coming out of the speakers.

It’ll be a huge shame if songs like I’ll Never Change or Life Goes On went on to be a huge hit for some Megastar rather than Rachel herself, as it wouldn’t take too much of a stretch to imagine Adele covering I’ll Never Change and/or Ashley Monroe (or similar) purring Forever Wishing and Summers Over out of your car radio, and I’m sure the financial recompense would certainly soften the blow.

I kid you not, Rachel’s songwriting is deep and meaningful; it’s the delicious melodies that make her words easy on the ear …. and they most certainly are.
In many ways songs like Stuck In The House All Day and Please Don’t Wake Me Up are Classic Country songs; but the arrangements are pure Laurel Canyon at its height when Linda Ronstadt and Mama Cass could do no wrong.
Before I go any further I must compliment both the musicians involved here; none of whom I recognise and Producer Blaise Barton alongside Rachel herself who have ‘created’ these songs with loving care worthy of much more famous studios the world over.'

One of the reasons we do what we do at RMHQ is the possibility of unearthing unknown talent like Rachel and shouting their names from the office rooftop!
What else would you do, if a friend loaned you this disc and you heard the dreamy Somewhere Waiting For Me or the punchy love song If I Were a Child for the first time? Just like me, you’d go straight onto Twitter or FB to extol Rachel Drew’s talents to all of your friends.
I’m still finding new songs and parts therein that make my brain work over time and my heart skip a beat; which brings me to the desperately Blaze For You and If My Heart Was Made For You, both of which bring both Dusty and Linda Ronstadt to mind; and as of today I can’t seperate the two in my quest to tell you which is my Favourite as both have a style and swagger that belies their background, and I love ’em both equally.

I have no idea what the future holds for Rachel Drew, but it’s only going to take ‘word of mouth’ and these songs landing in the lap of someone like Bob Harris or Stevie Van Zandt to give Rachel a dilemma regarding giving up her day job, and taking this album out on the road …. the UK & Europe certainly beckons with music as good and cool as this.