This Music Thing by Raie: Album Review

by Gabe Finch October 21, 2022

October 21, 2022

This Music Thing by Raie: Album Review

Music, as universal as it is, may feel like a single thread of connection shared with someone at times. This kind of personal connection inspires Raie, a Scottish artist, who wrote the album “This Music Thing” in honor of the people who have had a significant impact on her life.

For those of you who are only now discovering Raie, she is a London-based musician who spent nearly fifty years performing live before releasing her own original songs. Her effortless vocal prowess as a singer and her evocative lyricism as a songwriter are both still immersed in passion, as is evident throughout the entirety of the album. There is a certain magic to Raie’s voice that draws us into the soundscape and leaves us wanting more. Her traditional country vibe remains at the heart of the album, as evidenced by tracks like “Healin’ Train”, “Pegasus”, “National TV-A Lament for Anneli Alderton” or “The Trial of Ruby Bates.” In the meantime, Raie appears to also have fun seasoning her music with other flavors, like soulful and bluesy, as in the songs “This Music Thing” or “Rebekah’s Lullaby,” or even some rapping in “Blackbird-for Liam.” Her pen game is better than ever here and it feels like flipping through a storybook. Each song has a unique story that has been painstakingly created with lush, gorgeous instrumentation and is ready for listeners to delve into and unravel.

You can listen to the album, as well as other songs from Raie’s discography, on any streaming service of your choosing.