I’ve been lucky enough to have some amazing reviews about the album ‘Alchemy‘, so I thought I’d share them with you here.
She’s a legend round here. She’s a great musician, a fabulous voice and a wonderful girl to work with; she understands music in every way.
Gary Murphy – Ambassador of International Guitar Festival of GB
With a name like this you may expect some guitar driven call to homage for the Pagan Gods of old, but in reality you get a beautifully constructed composition that echoes Joni Mitchell at her very best.
Seb Klee – Liverpool Acoustic
Thunder’s music feels like a hug wrapped up in a 70’s crocheted jumper, filled with soulful melody and lyrics from the heart.
Ella – Where Are The Girl Bands?
Captivating… a sweet, beautiful melody and shows your remarkable progress in songwriting.
Billy Butler – Liverpool Live Radio
A fabulous song that evokes the spirit of Joni Mitchell.
Chris Currie – Mersey Radio
Absolutely superb!… it’s wonderful and so is Jade.
John Jenkins – Vintage Radio
A very unique and distinctive sound…
Nige Silvestri – Timeless Hits Radio
Some will insist on calling such events magic, a charmed dreamlike beginning in which the artist is revealed in the fullness of time; and yet magic does not begin to cover the thrilling bewitchment that Jade Thunder places the listener within as she releases her new album on the unsuspecting and the mesmerised.
Magic is one thing, the knowledge of chemistry, the application of binding elements, the key to breath-taking miracles, lays in the possessor and practitioner of Alchemy, and it is to be sure an occurrence that is rare, it is conclusive, and it is to be cherished as one would value life.
The road to inner peace begins with expression, of finding the power to live a life in balance. It is not so much a spell weaved, conjured out of the elements of the air, it is an emotion felt, understood, and shared, and for Jade Thunder it is the result of wondrous potential realised and presented to an awaiting audience.
Alchemy is not just an expression, or an album title, it is the resonance of emotions experienced, perhaps suffered, mostly caressed with the glide of a mother’s loving hand, and across tracks such as Perfectly Imperfect, Pills, Cleanse Me, Loving In Sin, the brilliance of Forgiven, the heart borne effect of Storm and (Quiet), as well as the album’s title track, Alchemy, Jade Thunder, along with the persuasion of elemental manipulation of the air to be found in the inclusion of David Crilly, Gary Murphy, Glyn Williams, Biff Roxby, the superb Amy Chalmers, Maria Alan, Martin Byrne, Howard Jacobs, Pete Turner and the commander of the bow Vicky Reid, create a storm of beauty, they create the fundamental belief in chemistry; and it is a chemistry that is enduringly charismatic and sensual.
We have lived through a period of collective trauma, we have found ourselves wondering, even if we don’t admit it, that we have felt ourselves become somewhat intangible to what binds us to the Earth, but in the magnetism of a voice, in the sheer appeal of music, we find we have reasons to believe in magic, we have the thunder in our ears and the lightning bolt of fascination ready to hit us directly in our heart and give us love.
A superb album, a recording of resonating emotion; magic is one thing, Alchemy is where the real wonder is to be found.
Ian D. Hall – Liverpool sound & Vision
Liverpool-based artist Jade Thunder released her first EP in 2016 and has been patiently building her reputation for emotionally charged songs about real life experiences incorporating an array of influences. Now she has her debut album out, also entitled Alchemy, and her first [rave] review courtesy of Liverpool Sound and Vision to follow her interview with Wirral Life.
Alchemy has a folky retro feel that instantly recalls artists like Joni Mitchell and Anne Murray, although there is enough about the beat, the syncopated guitar chord-play and the synth melodies that appear and disappear to place this in a contemporary context. There is an appealing toughness to the instrumental texture and Jade’s voice is agile and expressive. Shades of Laura Marling perhaps in a jam with Maddy Prior, pointing to a very strong lineage of Anglo-American singer-songwriters from which she has shaped her highly likeable, listenable sound.
Neil March – Fresh On The Net
Thunder’s music feels like a hug wrapped up in a 70’s crocheted jumper, filled with soulful melody and lyrics from the heart. ‘Alchemy’ feels like a sunset car ride, reminiscing in the twilight hours and the excitement of the early days of a relationship, filled with that energetic alchemy. The instrumentation of this song (Happy) harks to 70’s rock, somewhere between Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin. Thunder’s voice sings out with power and feeling.
Ella – Where are the girls bands?
Releasing music can be scary. As an artist, you are pouring your deepest emotions and feelings into a song and then sharing that openly with the world. It is a daunting thought when you think about it. Will people connect with it, will they like it and perhaps most importantly, will they understand it?
Every now and then an artist will come along who transcends all of your expectations and produces something that seems so intimately personal and beautiful yet still something you can relate to. One such artist is Jade Thunder. A seasoned and well loved performer in Liverpool and beyond, Jade Thunder is renowned for her cover gigs where she performs stunning renditions of many well loved songs but she has shown a new side to her talents by releasing her new single Alchemy, her first original song she has released.
Thunder writes about her past experiences of love and romance, struggles and loss and how she is slowly coming out the other side. She is a raw and captivating songwriter and through her music, you feel as if you have known her forever. Alchemy is an anthem of growth, trauma and recovery and showcases a vulnerable side to Thunder. The song is beautifully put together and Thunder’s vocals are mesmerising, she truly shows you a glimpse of her heart with this captivating track.
Alchemy is taken from her upcoming album which is to be released in November of this year. With tracks like this, the rest of the album is sure to cement Jade Thunder as a true song writing talent of Liverpool.
Helen Maw – Liverpool Acoustic
The summer that we have all craved for so badly is sadly on the wane; the nights are sneaking up on us, a gentle reminder that autumn is fast approaching.
But let us stay steadfast to the majesty of summer with a track released on September 3 – Alchemy – by Jade Thunder. With a name like this you may expect some guitar driven call to homage for the Pagan Gods of old, but in reality you get a beautifully constructed composition that echoes Joni Mitchell at her very best. Three minutes of perfect pop to resurrect the spirit of summer. Heavy play totally recommended.
Seb Klee – Liverpool Noise
If Jade Thunder showed us one aspect of her creative skill with Alchemy, with Happy we see another aspect. The song may have a positive title, but La Thunder isn’t talking about the finer aspects of life. This is a monster of a track, the nuanced, well executed production standing shoulder to shoulder with her lyrical sentiments. The voice soars, powering above the keyboard surges, the songs incessant hook, echoed by various instruments, nagging away at the psyche, glimpsing the inner world of the narrator. This is one of those songs that you become addicted to. Outstanding in every measure.
Seb Klee – Liverpool Noise
Jade Thunder has been singing/playing other peoples music for a long time, in various guises, but all the while she’s been amassing her own material just waiting for the opportunity to unveil it to the world. That wait is over. Truth is Jade is an excellent singer-songwriter in her own right, and her years of playing other peoples music up and down the land have made her a consummate performer and band leader. Last night she absolutely nailed it. Quality songs and a great performance earned Jade and her excellent band a well deserved standing ovation at the end of the night. And what a memorable night it was. Let’s hope there’s many more to come. Do check out her album ‘Alchemy’ on Bandcamp, and go and see her performing it live if you get the chance. Thanks all who came along for the ride, and special thanks to Cal Ruddy for a great opening set.
Neil Johnson – THVC