Joyful nostalgia in live instruments, catchy grooves, and uplifting optimism from the golden age – light baritone crooner Robert Marleigh captures the essence of a simpler time, with the jazz-kissed covers and original songs of his 6-track EP Needle On The Rim.
Inspired by the greats, from Sinatra and Dean Martin to Jim Morrison, Robert Marleigh brings an airy, hopeful breath of warmth and wonder back to modern music. Pennies From Heaven is a fine introduction to his style, a simple jazz backdrop needing no drumline, no heavy effects or falseness, only the bare essentials of wind, keys and riding bass, to support a smooth, classic crooner vocal that’s engaging and catchy.
Next we move into something a little more slick and stylish, with the gravelly romantic passion for Is you Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby? These classic threads ring loudly, Robert’s love for the genre and the golden age of songwriting resounding through the choices and takes. Picture vintage jazz and swing united for an intimate dance-along that’s authentic and alluring.
Then for Angel Eyes, smooth fire-side warmth returns, those familiar instrumental tones elevating the quiet, contemplative moments from Robert Marleigh’s now unmistakable voice – a perfect moment of dreamy, sleepy thoughtfulness and calm, poetic romanticism and longing, before we move into the well-placed big-band bravado of original song Bad Guys.
This moment is huge, a key aspect of the EP’s versatility, but also a great segway into the completely unexpected shift to the mighty Black Hole Sun. If you’re looking for something fresh and creative, Robert Marleigh’s crooner jazz version of Black Hole Sun is a dream – subtle piano, horns and a light rhythm, canned vocals guiding us through a surprisingly joyful melody, a take that completely reimagines the energy of the original Soundgarden song.
The EP comes to a close with another Robert Marleigh original. Needle On The Rim is a cinematic story that’s all-consuming in its old-school charisma, with scenes and soundbites that enthral, as comforting jazz and retro electronic fragments filter through from the outer layers. It’s a fascinating closer, from an EP that feels familiar at first, but ultimately finds its own artistic and confident pathway of integrity.
Find Robert Marleigh on Soundcloud, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube.
