Bridget Storm 'Here's What's Left'

“Sounding like a female-fronted Tindersticks but with a distinctive new-wave flavor (Julie McLarnon, in fact, once served time in riot-girl punk-popsters the Thrush Puppies), Bridget Storm has crafted what on the surface is sometimes called a sleeper of a debut but is in fact compellingly cinematic and memorable on all fronts.”
- 8/10 Magnet, July 2002

“Nylon strung guitar, cello and violin predominate, but there are also examples of the studio trickery that our host learned as a recording engineer with producers Martin Hannett and Chris Nagle. McLarnon's lower vocal range recalls Kate Bush, and on 'Losing It' and the title track, her readiness to probe the dark side of the psyche cements the comparison. In short, this is a challenging, blackly beautiful work.”
- 4/5 Mojo, June 2002

“Here’s What’s Left owes a lot to early Tindersticks, but the album adds a lot more than female vocals to the mix. 'Quaalude Interlude' is a version of 'Heartbreak Hotel' played on xylophone with My Bloody Valentine-type interference. 'Terrestrial Living' could be a glam rocker from the 70s. A serious new talent is emerging on this album. It might not sell millions, but it’s destined to become a late-night favourite for discerning listeners.”
- 4/5 The Irish Times, June 2002

The debut (and so far sole) album release from Bridget Storm, Here’s What’s Left was written, arranged, produced, recorded and mostly played by Julie McLarnon. Early limited 7” releases on both Analogue Catalogue and Bad Jazz saw Bridget Storm pick up a dedicated fan in the late John Peel and a publishing deal with Rough Trade.

The album surfaced in 2002 and was greeted with mighty praise from both the press and bands including Smog, Low, Willard Grant Conspiracy and Sparklehorse, all of whom invited Julie to tour with them. She couldn't make the Sparklehorse tour though as it clashed with recording Aidan Smith's Fancy Barrel album. A shame, really but that’s what you get for having many strings to your bow.

The follow up album, provisionally titled Make Do And Mend is nearly finished. It features a nod to her mentor Martin Hannett in the form of a 7 minute cover of New Order's 'True Faith', and also features guest vocals on two tracks from Domino Records/Fence Collective stalwart James Yorkston. Stately string arrangements and velvety lush sonics are folded perfectly into a set of 9 finely crafted heartstopping songs which should get released one of these days…

Bridget Storm 'Here's What's Left'
(ACAT006)

Tracklisting:
1. Wake
2. Oraine
3. Losing It
4. Stitches
5. Quaalude Interlude
6. Conditioning
7. Terrestrial Living
8. Hush Hush Pills
9. Boy From Towerhill
10. Here's What's Left
11. Felt Something Go

All songs written by Julie McLarnon and published by Rough Trade Publishing

Vocals, guitars, piano, moog and noises by Julie McLarnon. Violins by Angela Duddy. Cellos by Semay Wu. Bass and backing vocals by Paul Blakesley. Drums by Brian Edwards. Backing vocals on 4 and drums on 11 by Lauren Hyde. Guitar on 2 by John McCready. Additional guitar on 4,6,7 & 11 by Kara Leckenby, 10 by Danny Hulme and
11 by Steve Sawyer.

Recorded and mixed by
Julie McLarnon at Analogue Catalogue
except tracks 4, 10 and 11 which were mixed by Chris Nagle at Brofee's
Mastered by Martin Giles at Alchemy Soho