Whinnie Williams - Bad Girl (EP)

Buy Whinnie Williams' Bad Girl EP here
Read about Whinnie's collaboration with Professor Green here

Dry your eyes Sunday Girls because the Whinnie Williams EP is finally here. She has built up quite the fan base of appreciative music admirers through her sumptuous own compositions and inventive cover versions. For those of you not in the know, Whinnie describes herself as a girl obsessed with Paris, candy floss, poodles, lift music and 90s hip hop (who doesn't love Salt n Pepa's Shoop?!) - this description alone is enough to get me to run, nay, sprint to the shops (turn on my kindle fire and go to Amazon) and purchase the entire EP of her music. Entitled Bad Girl, it's a collection of insightful and personal songs that all link to the ups and downs of relationship woes with an honesty and openness that draws you inextricably into the music. Each of the four tracks is a pop gem in and of itself - here is essentially what is on offer...

• You Don't Love Me ~ Lyrically it's the actually quite devastating tale of being in love with someone who doesn't reciprocate those feelings to the same intensity, leaving you hurt and frustrated. I particularly love the candor of the middle 8 when she details that the object of her affections, her paramour, actually isn't a very nice person at all - but sometimes in life love is blind; it's about seeing past those faults and accepting the person for who they are. It makes it all the more bittersweet that he's probably a bit of a bounder and cad & doesn't see what a catch he has in Whinnie. The buffoon. Musically, it's a deliciously addictive backdrop of a blend of sounds and melodies that all converge together beautifully. It makes it all sound so simple to put together, but the chic-cool of the instrumental is actually quite complex and juxtapositions the lyrics quite nicely. It's breezy and light, taking the edge off those soul searching narratives. Whinnie also has an effortlessly engaging voice that draws you into her tale and is most mellifluous to listen to. The icing on the cake is the hilarious and charming video - from it's brilliant Franglais opening (possibly the most chuckleworthy since Kylie in Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi) to the debonair pink socks on the French dude (let's call him Henri - pronounced On-ree) and the dropped ice cream which for some reason made me giggle like a school girl on titter tablets.
• Break Hearts In Your Sleep ~ Whinnie music is always a celebration of melody, a triumph of exquisite composition and a carousal of intricate, engaging instrumental that form as much a part of the narrative as those searingly honest lyrics do. Break Hearts in Your Sleep is a love letter to the timeless musical vibe of the sixties and sees the adorable Whinnie continue her relationship with the absolute cad who she is absolutely sure she can tame, if only he'd just allow her to. It's beautifully delivered - her voice has this ethereal, emotive quality that's as light as the sumptuous music yet has an element of wistful regret & yearning in it that gives the tune a sad yet hopeful edge to it. Elegant chimes swirl in and out of the music & delicate keyboard riffs that bridge the verse and chorus are like the cotton candy of pop music, giving giddy thrills with the thoughtfulness of the arrangements. The middle 8 is brief but equally delightful as it gives the music some time to breathe on it's own, allowing those heavenly staves to wash over you before Whinnie's mesmerising voice comes back in for a final denouement of this rouge-ish fella. Add to this a visual feast that tells the tale of Whinnie and her scrumptious canine companion Brian - trying to raise money to get back to their beloved Paris. This means hawking family heirlooms on Cash In The Attic (with a silver fox host, so buttoned up that you know once you'd whipped off that bowtie, he'd be a wild man on a night out :D), playing bingo, busking and selling potentially revolting lemonade. Will they get the dosh they need? You'll have to watch the enchanting clip above to find out :) all in all, the song is just one more reason to fall endlessly in love with Whinnie Williams.
• Oopsie Daisy ~ track three on the EP continues the narrative established in the first two songs (and first two singles). She's a wiser Whinnie on Oopsie Daisy because she ain't standing for bad behaviour from anyone (except maybe herself). With a shimmering, chime driven synth riff and a pleasantly percolating percussion she's surrounded herself with a lilting score that adds a more carefree nature to her singing (whilst still remaining true to her sixties musical inspirations). There's something so joyously timeless about Whinnie's music - it's not dictated to by fads or trends; if she were to traverse the boundaries of time you'd find her feeling as fresh and exciting in 1966 as she would in 2066. And actually, as a little aside, she'd make for a great Doctor Who companion... Whinnie sings of getting drunk, eyeing up other guys, stumbling home at all hours but at least having a modicum of remorse by trying to make amends to her cad of a boyfriend (it probably serves him right that his shirts have all turned blue). She's gleefully cavalier about it all in the exuberant chorus with a refrain so catchy it should come with it's own prescription. Actually, screw that! It's a refrain so catchy that it becomes a tonic for your blues - an endorphin rush as satisfying as anything you'll hear all the live long day. It sounds like nothing you would hear on radio at the moment (that damn EDM craze lingers like a bad smell in a lift) but it's so perfectly vibrant that it becomes exactly the type of song you wish radio WOULD play just to have some gloriously melodic diversity in our charts. Add to this a charming little video which sees Whinnie come out on top (be prepared to cheer at the end. Take that you ridiculously attractive French dude) and it's the full package. Enjoy. Revel. Replay.
• Stupid Things ~ The EP comes to a close with this wistful, elegiac ballad that is sheer musical poetry in motion. It draws to a close the storyline threads that weave the songs on the EP together with Whinnie filled with melancholy and regret, emotions that we all experience regardless of whether actions and responses have been justified or not. Accompanied by a prominent acoustic guitar, it provides the perfect setting for Whinnie to imbue every lyric and every space inbetween with an aching vocal that says more about the nature of love than a hundred Nicholas Sparks novels ever could. When she sings "somebody please take this pain away", it's a heart wrenching moment that stays with you long after the song has finished. Although it sounds timeless and suitable for any time of year, there's a certain mystical magic about it that makes it perfect yearning material for the dark autumnal nights. And pop that heavenly cover of That's Entertainment (from the Renault Zoe adverts) as a b-side and you've got real contender for a festive chart smash. All in all though, the EP is an amazing piece of work that deserves massive success. Like Tamara ft Maya once said, if you buy this record your life will be better. I guarantee it.