Clara Bond is a country pop singer/songwriter from Exeter, United Kingdom and in late 2016 she independently released her new EP ‘Out Of Towners’.

Opening title track ‘Out Of Towners’ is in the vein of Sara Bareilles with Clara’s lead vocals having a mature sound. The five-piece band work well with Clara Bond to create a country pop EP for people who attend Country to Country music festival and listen to broadcasting legend and friend of JLTT Bob Harris.

‘Tambourine’ has a sad undertone with Bond singing ‘you could play my heart like tambourine’ but it sounds like a country song that has been out in the public domain for years. A song that the ‘Love Story’ Taylor Swift would’ve loved to have me thinks.

Chris Tilke (bassist, drummer, producer, mixer and engineer) plays a dance drum beat on the honest ‘Love Can’t Stay’ as Ollie Harris (guitar) and Leigh Coleman (backing vocalist) do their thing. Light cymbals lead back to the chorus with such precision. One of my favourite tracks on this EP.

Closer ‘Flashbacks’ features Ozzie Parker on piano as we hear about a past beau of Bond’s who only sees her when he has flashbacks and Déjà vu. ‘Is Faith Hill an influence?’ I muse. If I ever get the chance to I will ask her.

Overall, Clara Bond is a woman who is visually striking on the EP’s cover artwork by Jay McLaughlin and possesses a silky smooth voice which sounds older than her years. The songs are catchy and well-written, the band are all fluid players and she has found the perfect balance between light and dark.

The only thing I would say is that like any genre, country music in the UK in the past five years has seen a surge in both popularity and artists. We now have The Shires, Catherine McGrath, Kelsea Ballerini, Una Healy, Ward Thomas, Maddie & Tae and many more so it can be difficult for lesser known and independent artists to get their material heard because there is so much choice. She just needs to keep doing what she’s doing as this ‘Out Of Towners’ EP sounds like just the start for Clara Bond.

Glenn Sargeant