At 16, Bridie Monds-Watson was raising mountain ridges of goosebumps on the arms of A&R folk with her clutch of precocious songs; an impressive feat, no matter what way you roll the dice. The sensible decision to wait to release an album – she was signed to Rough Trade last year – means that the young Derrywoman has done a little more living in the three-year interim, and her debut full-length release (following a brace of EPs) is all the better for it.
That's not to say that Before We Forgot How to Dream is the full package; far from it. Yet while certain traits belie the songwriter's age – song titles like If Everyone is Someone – No One is Everyone, for example – others exhibit her depth of articulacy. Blud and B a noBody in particular are beautifully paced and eloquently phrased; others are hesitant love songs, like the evocative Garden, which sees her croon "I'd take you everywhere if I could / I'd waste all my time on you" to the object of her affection.
The jewel in her crown, however, is still the beautiful Sea Creatures. It's given a makeover here, with added strings and twinkling keys making for one of the most memorable folk-pop numbers you'll hear all year. In fact, while SOAK's melancholic, mournful-plucked guitar tunes like Shuvels are amiable and often touching, she is at her most magnetic on the fuller-sounding songs like the aforementioned Garden.
Monds-Watson has yet to learn to use her beautifully idiosyncratic voice to its full potential and her song-writing has not yet hit full-tilt. Still, this is an auspicious calling card – and what Bridie does next could be very special indeed.
