Arts & Culture
REVIEW: Heartwork - Things I Wish I'd Said

Born and raised in Cambridgeshire, based in Wales… Not usual Ocelot territory we grant you, but with Heartwork (aka singer/songwriter Dan O’Dell) due to support Boston Manor at Level III in Swindon on May 24, we just had to give his new record Things I Wish I’d Said a spin.

Or rather, let our very well informed and musically knowledgeable cousins at The Colour of Vinyl take a swing at this very impressive collection of emo tinged tunes. Take it away Dan Buckingham. Up to now, Dan O’Dell (AKA Heartwork) had nicely slotted into the over-saturated crowds of singer-songwriter, releasing 2 well received EP’s & playing countless shows across the country. However, things have changed with the release of his crowd funded debut album ‘Things I Wish I Said’; an album that sees Dan embrace a fuller band sound akin to emo legends, American Football. The album kicks off with ‘Every Thorn’ and over some softly strummed chords & the line ‘the shit had hit the fan, turns out I’m half the man I thought…’ you get the sense that this may not be the most lighthearted of listens. It’s not all doom & gloom though, ‘Paper & Bones’ sees Dan showcase just how beneficial a more dynamic sound can be. Whilst hinted at in previous releases, it’s quickly apparent that Heartwork was meant to be so much more than just an acoustic & his voice. With the addition of electric guitars,  bass, & drums, Dan’s excellent vocals become something a lot more memorable, and the album sees him hit the potential he teased at in previous releases. That’s not to say that his emotional, almost-too-honest lyrics have taken a backseat for Dan’s heavier sound; lyrics still play centre stage across the album, particularly in those songs that Dan has become accustomed to playing live, such as ‘Dashboard Confrontational’ & ‘Achilles Friend’ . The guest appearance by label mate & all round good guy, Ben Sydes on album highlight ‘The Right Thing’ is a welcome addition to the record & only adds to the album’s diversity. Dan has created a cohesive, mature record that will undoubtedly prove to be one of 2017’s hidden treasures. Watch this space, on the strength of this album, we’ll be hearing a lot more from Heartwork in the future. Check out Heartwork online via: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/heartworkmusic/ Twitter - @HeartworkSolo Or head down to Level III in Swindon on May 24 and catch Heartwork supporting Boston Manor, Casey and A Way With Words! Pre order now at www.heartworkmusic.co.uk