Be the one is Marli Buck’s debut EP and while the music is simple and at times unimaginative it provides the perfect backdrop to showcase her powerful, warm and endearing voice. Marli is not new to the world of music having worked with Depeche Mode’s Dave Grahan in New York, been a music director at Granada TV and enjoyed a brief stint on Fame Academy. She is currently on tour with Journey South.
The highlight of the album is White Light which opens with an elegant piano solo giving way to simple guitar rhythms and Mali’s warm and compelling voice. Her greatest attribute is her voice and the sense of emotion it conveys – it is a shame to see that ruined by rather dull backing tracks on songs such as Be the one and Farewell my find. She is at her best when the music is kept simple and her vocals is left to do the work as on If love makes sense. The opening track it’s a blend blend of melancholia with a hint of hope – the kind of song Bridget Jones would listen to curled up in her duvet on a winter’s day.
While Be the one provides a clear demonstration of Marli Buck’s talent it will require some more innovative production to convince the masses that she has anything new to offer.
Be the one is releaed on October 9th by SonyBMG
Words: Joe Kent
