Leah Callahan is a Boston, USA-based artist who has just caught my attention through the release of her fourth studio album, Curious Tourist.

By Graeme Smith

Before launching her solo project, Leah was the frontwoman of the bands Turkish Delight US, Betwixt & The Glass Set and has gained a reputation as a musical storytelling with her previous three album releases.

Her new album Curious Tourist draws on a range of influences, many more familiar to us this side of the pond, including the Britpop of Blur and the ’80s dance pop of Bronski Beat. Add those to Stateside shoegaze and post-punk and you get a unique Transatlantic mix that grabs the attention and doesn’t let go.

For the album, Leah worked with arranger, producer, multi-instrumentalist and co-songwriter Chris Stern and the love for, and reverence to, their shared inspirations are hugely evident on Curious Tourist, starting right from its opener Nowhere Girl. At once feeling like a throwback and an evolution, it sees them introduce strings to heighten its emotional and melancholic story.

No One livens things up with some dark and driving rock before title track Curious Tourist wraps us in its smoky, smouldering atmosphere. Super and Ordinary Face round off the album’s first half, the latter proving to be a groovy, timeless highlight.

In the album’s second half, we get the vibrant Social Climber, the dreamy Wish, then some pensive, moody instrumental pop in All’s Fair in War. Duras is delicate and devastating, then dramatic, before You Don’t Love Me (No No No) closes the album with an unexpected take on Dawn Penn’s 1994 reggae classic.

Leah’s new album feels like an ambitious one. Yet she and Chris have used their shared experience and pulled it off. It’s simply a joy to listen to, and will please long-time fans as much as it does new ones like me.

Curious Tourist was produced and engineered by Richard Marr and features percussion by Alex Brander. It’s available to buy as a digital album via Leah’s Bandcamp page, and you can check it out below.

Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator