Christina - Broken Lives and Bleeding Hearts (2010)

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Christina - Broken Lives and Bleeding Hearts (2010)

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More than two years ago I interviewed Rob Reed and Christina Booth about the then latest Magenta album Metamorphosis during which the pair touched upon another album that was in the stages of preparation. That album was Christina’s long-awaited debut solo album which has just now seen the light of day under the intriguing title Broken Lines & Bleeding Hearts.

Whilst style wise this might be far removed from the symphonic-rock sound of Magenta it will come as no surprise to those who are familiar with Rob and Christina’s eclectic musical tastes. Along with pop and rock, elements of blues and jazz surface, all of which are handled with supreme confidence and panache. Christina’s beautiful, crystalline voice obviously takes centre stage with Rob taking care of most of the instrumental backing including keyboards, piano, bass and guitars. Magenta’s Chris Fry is on hand to lend his classical and acoustic guitar talents as is John Mitchell (who seems to be everywhere at the moment) who adds lead guitar to a couple of tracks. Additional support comes from Steve Balsamo (vocals), Fran Bramble (backing vocals), Troy Donockley (Uillean pipes), Ryan Ashton (drums), Andy Coughlan (fretless bass) and Kieran Bailey (drums).

The opening song Free has been around for awhile in download format and is typical of the modern radio friendly sound that Reed has clearly strived for in his production. Christina’s voice is starkly upfront and the arrangement builds from seemingly humble beginnings into a full blown gospel workout, providing an excellent start to the album. Way Back To My Heart sounds naggingly familiar with its incessant vocal hook whilst Deep Oceans (the first of two versions here) features a typically warm and full vocal from Christina. Hanging By A Thread with its relentless acoustic guitar riff has a singer-songwriter vibe about it contrasting with the melancholic poignancy of Tales Of Broken Hearts. The backing voices are simply gorgeous here and the instrumental backdrop is deceptively sparse but effective. Helen’s Song is similarly bittersweet with a haunting melody that’s not a million miles from Magenta’s recordings.

Down To The River intensifies the mood with a lolloping upfront bass line and Christina at her most lyrically cutting and she is similarly acerbic during Do Or Die matched by Mitchell’s forceful solo. Reel Life is in a much lighter vein with a catchy chorus and full scale orchestral effects courtesy of Reed’s keys. The excellent Immorality is probably the albums best song with fine vocal support from Balsamo before climaxing with the stirring sound of Donockley’s Uillean pipes. The final track is a reprise of Deep Oceans, this time remixed by Jem Godfrey of Frost* fame. It doesn’t have the same cool, jazzy late night feel of the earlier version but its memorable hook still provides a classy ending to the proceedings.

Given her vocal talents it was clear that Christina would one day embark on a project that would have the potential of broadening her appeal outside the Magenta fan base. Her guest appearances elsewhere especially her commanding performance on the She album by Caamora is a further testimony to this. Given the right kind of exposure Broken Lines & Bleeding Hearts has the commercial potential to introduce Christina to a larger mainstream audience. It’s also a fine showcase for both her and Rob’s song writing talents proving that they have an inherent feel for a good melody which will come as no surprise to every self respecting Magenta fan.

~ GEOFF FEAKES

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Christina - Broken Lives and Bleeding Hearts (2010)

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Christina - Broken Lives and Bleeding Hearts (2010)

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