Maz Totterdell
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Sweep - Maz Totterdell Album Review
Album Review
Released through Series 8 on 28th May 'Sweep' is the debut album from upcoming teenage starlet Maz Totterdell, and with nods towards Nerina Pallot, Kate Nash and Laura Marling it's a record made for the summer. With pop hooks sweeter than sugar and a song writing ability that would make many of her contemporaries envious this is sure to spend a lot of time on repeat. She has been championed by Radcliffe & Maconie, Terry Wogan and Steve Lemacq as well as others and coupled with airplay from both Radio 2 and 6 Music, it's clear this 15 year old from Devon is turning all the right heads.
Maz's debut single and album opener 'Counting My Fingers' catapulted her into the lime light when not only did it win 6 Music's Rebel Playlist public vote, it also received the highest score on Steve Lemacq's review show, Roundtable. The upbeat guitars and catchy lyrics make this story of teenage love woes the perfect pop song. 'Delirious' shows Maz pouring her heart out over her one true love and serves as a reminder of somewhere we have been, a teenager in love and with nothing more than an acoustic guitar it's done beautifully. 'Lazy Day' continues the teenager in love theme and with its piano backing it feels instantly familiar and new at the same time. The further you get into 'Sweep' the better the songs get, after the sing-a-long 'Smile On Sunshine' comes the beautifully written 'Willow (Angel Child)', a tale of a misunderstood teen who should probably have featured in Skins. The lyrics make her sound like the cliché of 'an artist beyond her years' but if you listen closely she is simply writing about the rollercoaster of being young.
Maz Totterdell is a real undiscovered talent and despite the media coverage it surprises me she has remained relatively undiscovered although I have no doubt 'Sweep' is about to change that. This ray of sunshine sums up all there is about being young, so it will be interesting to hear what she is singing about when she hits her twenties. Maz has just a handful of dates throughout the rest of April and May so might be an idea to catch her now before she reaches the big stage.
