I first discovered Bess Atwell back in 2021 and was instantly drawn to her music. Like Katherine Priddy, she lies at the folkier end of my musical taste and it’s taken me the best part of three years to work out that the singer she reminds me of most of all is the great Annie Haslam from the 1970s prog-folk group Renassiance. As a teenager I was seriously infatuated with Annie Haslam and I think my attraction to Bess Atwell’s music is at least partly a deep memory of the me of 50 years ago…
I soon discovered that Bess had been releasing music since 2016 so I was hardly there at the outset but she was, inititally at least, far from prolific. The debut album (Hold Your Mind) was followed by a string of excellent singles in 2018, brought together in the 2019 EP, Big Blue.
Then, the breakthrough came with the 2021 release, Already, Always which featured a number of oustanding tracks (including the immensely catchy Co-Op) and a lot of media attention, radio airplay and hi-profile life performances followed.
Bess Atwell’s third album, Light Sleeper was released a few days ago and it undoubtedly represents another major step in the right direction. It’s still the Bess Atwell that I’ve come to know and love but there’s an extra depth to it, almost certainly the influence of the producer, Aaron Dessner (of The National); you don’t get to work with Taylor Swift without having something significant to bring to the table.
I’m looking forward to exploring the new album and confidently expect to see Bess go from strength to strength over the coming years.
Enjoy…
The 'Spill 
I, also discovered her in 2021, absolutely loved Time Comes In Roses and bought the Already Always album. But for some reason I didn’t delve into her previous recordings. In fact I’m not sure I even realised that there were any. I have (just) got hold of the new one though in preparation for her Union Chapel gig next month. I’ve never been able to some up with any point of comparison for her voice and music. I guess I’ll have to have a listen to Renaissance who, I know, I must have heard at some point in my life but can’t bring to mind now at all.
Excellent. Hope you enjoy the gig!
Another evidently good artist, floating tunefully. Wearing a floaty dress?