"Rock Girl Summer" by Abz Winter

It occurred to me while checking out Abz Winter's new single, "Rock Girl Summer" how I ought to credit her various producers over the years for how they've captured her colossal exuberance on record. It's a quality which doesn't automatically translate directly to digital form but of course it is one of her most palpable characteristics. (This one was produced by her co-writer Bruce Rintoul).

Once again, she's nudged her personal bar a notch higher with this one & the full glory of what Abz can do in a rock setting with a powerful regular band is becoming more apparent with each release.

 I dare say that it's probably even more potent live but the production has delivered a very compelling picture of its vitality to say the least.

Even from her earliest live performances, which built the foundations for her reputation, Abz favoured working with a guitarist to using tapes: the Rock Girl has always been there. Now she is exploring just what that magnificent voice of hers can do (unsurprisingly, it works really well however loud her backing gets: she has so much in reserve). I think she's made smart moves in that respect. While other vocalists also have big voices, many listen to poor advice & constantly try & remind you of their power: to the detriment of nuance & real emotion. Abz is working her way up to bigger & bigger sounds & has long ago mastered those attributes: her loudest voice has impact because she chooses only to deploy it when required: which gives her songs varied dynamics as well as emotional truth.

It's been fascinating to watch her song writing develop across the years: she's clearly worked very hard to adapt to new styles & not release material until she's been confident in each genre so that there has never been a dip in quality even when she's been on a learning curve: so this is as simply as strong a pop rock song as her earliest singles were strong contemporary pop.

Throughout all this, she's kept her eye firmly on the things which matter to her: regularly tackling real & significant problems & for quite a run at one time, picking off a range of targets with a succession of well aimed musical arrows. Now she has turned to issues around positivity, self actualisation and taking the initiative in life.

 In her own words: "..the riff is both melodic and unique and lifts your mood all on its own! The song is all about hanging out with your friends, not having a care in the world and just having fun. It's a Rock Girl Summer!"

 Released as summer draws to a close, "Rock Girl Summer" has the potential to prolong the seasonal vibe.

It coincides with Abz's debut at East London's All Points East festival (in Victoria Park, venue in 1978 for the famous Rock Against Racism gig, an event which may be having to come back as I write this) and this captures in some ways where she currently is: continually growing her audience in terms of geography and subculture and constantly moving onwards & upwards with a certain panache.

There is plenty of that characteristic too in the superb artwork by none other than Duke Keats.