Toni Sidwick. Birds Fly, Trees Fall.

Building on the success of 2018, and perhaps using time as a tool to reflect on the most interesting aspects of her work, ‘Birds fly, Trees fall’ sees Sidgwick return on fine form and lazer-focused on editing her work right down to its core architecture.  Stepping outside of 2018’s ‘Carry my heart’ and ‘Try’, which both started gently before building into full orchestration, ‘Birds’ has no such mild introduction; and by 1 and a half minutes, and the belief  that ‘everybody says when you know, you know, you know, you know’, we’re peaking in volume and intensity.  Part yearning, part rejoiceful, ‘Birds’ success is its ability to blend Sidgwick’s traditional narratives of nature and the human condition, and pair them within an interesting folk/pop structure supported by 2- and 3-part harmonies.  Part Tracey Chapman, part Fleet Foxes, this is a one for those who like interesting experiments within the traditionalist folk structures.