Elkie Brooks’ Live and Acoustic is a fitting testament to a career that has spanned six decades, showcasing her ability to reinvent and reflect with grace and artistry. Recorded live in 2021 at the Landmark Theatre in North Devon, this 12-track album captures Brooks at her most intimate, offering a mix of cherished classics and thoughtfully chosen covers. For long-time fans, it is a poignant reminder of her talent and emotional depth; for newcomers, it’s a gateway to one of Britain’s most enduring voices.

The album opens with Do Right Woman, Do Right Man and Warm & Tender Love, songs that nod to Brooks’ deep soul roots and instantly establishes the album’s reflective tone. Her rendition of Sunshine After the Rain injects a moment of optimism, her vocals as warm and inviting as they’ve always been. These opening tracks showcase Brooks’ ability to inject familiar material with fresh emotional resonance, listeners are in for a deeply personal journey with this album.

Brooks moves seamlessly between heartbreak and serenity. Don’t Cry Out Loud is performed with stunning vulnerability, while her interpretation of Bob Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love strips the song back to its emotional core, her voice brimming with understated power, bringing both fragility and strength to Dylan’s timeless lyrics. It’s a powerful take on one of Bob Dylan’s later-career masterpieces, a track first released in 1997 on his Time Out of Mind album. Though Dylan’s version leaned into his raspy, weathered delivery, the song quickly transcended its origins, becoming a modern standard with covers by a host of high-profile artists—most notably Adele, whose rendition on her debut album brought it to a new generation. The song’s enduring popularity is a testament to its universal message of unconditional love and devotion, themes that resonate throughout Brooks’ back catalogue, Dylan is clearly speaking her language, so it’s a welcomed surprise to see this on the record. The stripped-back arrangement of Tom Kincaid’s piano and Mike Smith’s saxophone provides an elegant, understated backdrop that allows Brooks’ delivery to take centre stage. While remaining faithful to the song’s essence, she imbues it with her own distinct warmth and emotional clarity, making it feel uniquely hers.

Placed within the broader context of this album, Make You Feel My Love fits beautifully alongside Brooks’ classics and carefully chosen covers. Its introspective tone and themes align perfectly with the reflective nature of the record, showcasing her ability to connect with material across genres and eras. In Brooks’ hands, the song becomes less about grand gestures and more about quiet, steadfast devotion—a fitting interpretation for an artist whose career has been built on authenticity and connection.

The album’s most striking moments come when Brooks ventures into bolder territory. Her cover of Purple Rain reimagines Prince’s anthem with a stripped-back arrangement that feels both intimate and majestic. This one may catch listeners off guard, but it works and is testament to Brooks for taking risks, just like she’s done throughout her illustrious career. On Everyday I Have the Blues, she revisits her blues roots, while I Put a Spell on You serves as a masterclass in tension and release, her voice weaving hauntingly through the sparse instrumentation.

The final side of the album serves as a fitting tribute to Brooks’ legacy. Lilac Wine is given a delicate, aching treatment, her vocals capturing its melancholy beauty. Leon Russell’s A Song for You becomes a moment of gratitude and reflection, leading into Pearl’s a Singer, the song that cemented her as a household name. As the album’s closer, it feels both celebratory and triumphant, a reminder of Brooks’ ability to command a stage—and an audience—with effortless grace.

Live and Acoustic is reaffirmation of Brooks’ place in British music. Her voice, undiminished by time, remains her most powerful instrument, conveying emotion with a depth and subtlety that few can match.

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‘Live And Acoustic’ will be released on CD & 2LP physical formats and is available to buy now HERE

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