Fossil by Melanie Garside

Introduction

This is an album that I love but have not played for a long time, so I dug out the CD from one of my boxes and it is now on the player as I am writing this review to share with you, but before I proceed there are at least three versions of this.

The first picture contains the song list of the original, then the Japanese version that I am playing, and under that is the third version which may be the one on Amazon.

Before I start this there is the story about how I got the Japanese version of "Fossil". I had the original but then became aware of a Japanese version with five extra songs. I could only get it from the Japanese Amazon site which should have been fine and simple but it did not have an English language option so unless you were fluent in Japanese there was no way you could navigate the site.

This was a problem.

Then I remember my manager, Gordon Brain, one of the best I ever worked for, was fluent in Japanese so I asked him if he could order the CD for me and I would give in the cash and buy him a drink.

Like the great guy he was, he ordered it for me, and that is how I am listening to the album now.

This is the information from Amazon:

This is the debut solo album by Melanie Garside (aka Maple Bee).

On its original release, the record was well received by the broadsheet press - The Sunday Times likening Garside's musical force and talent to that of Annie Lennox...but the alternative press who had previously championed Garside did not take to the new direction. London Underground stations were full of promotional posters for the first single and BBC Radio 1 gave Big White Room extensive daytime play.

The videos for the single were featured on the Saturday morning TV show, The Chart Show.

Staffing issues at the record label meant that although Big White Room was well received the record was not actually available to buy in the shops and it disappeared fairly quickly.

The second single "She Knows" was available to buy but received very little press. Garside spent the next year touring and travelling in South East Asia, promoting "Fossil" in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, North Korea and Taiwan, which is probably why the Japanese extended version was released.

I have just looked for her online and she is still producing music including involvement with the Mediaeval Babes and this has really made my day. I was thinking maybe she had just made one album and then disappeared, but no, there is so much to explore on her website. Maple Bee/Melanie Garside are the same magical entity.

I know my Vocal Sister Melissa will love her and I cannot wait to share this story.

So now to share a few songs from this wonderful album with you, although you can also check them out on the Maple Bee site.

Big White Room

This song opens the album and, for me is instantaneous goosebump material. Play this absolutely beautiful song and you will not want it to end but it will make you hungry for the rest of her music as well. I really don't want this song to end, but when it does there is more magical music to come.

She Knows

A bit livelier than "Big White Room" but it moves into a brilliant chorus accompanied by a perfect descending keyboard motif. Again this is somewhere in the area of pure perfection.

Centred Sideways

The original closer to the album and the chorus is amazing almost steamrollering the listener in the most beautiful way. This review turned out nothing like I expected, but I am so pleased that she is still producing music, so this is a good way to close this story.