Last week was Liverpool Sound City 2009 week and I covered performances by most of the best unsigned and signed acts. My first stop was at Parr Street’s famous recording studio where Coldplay and many other major acts recorded their albums. The ground floor studio has been converted to a bar/club and it was there that I saw one of my favourite acts of the 4-day event.

Ragz is a Norwegian female singer/songwriter who has made Liverpool her home. This E.P. is available from her website (www.ragzmusic.net) and includes four self-penned songs. While the quality of recordings are not great there’s a firm indication that this lady is a rather special talent. ‘Love You Still’ is a softly flowing and very beautiful acoustic love song.

Ragz’s vocal is both distinctive and of extremely high quality as she intimately communicates her message. During the choruses her voice changes key and soars effortlessly. A powerful melody and sincere, intelligent lyrics complete a fabulous song. ‘Hold On’ is a darker, bass-driven track where the lady’s voice dives and soars to create an epic and moving vibe. ‘Oh Oh’ is another darker song backed by scraping guitar strings and flowing piano notes. It’s a very different and distinctive song that comes with another strong melody. ‘No Fairytale’ is an altogether grander affair with a full band providing a powerful backdrop, and multi-layered vocals adding drama. It’s superb.

It was however when I saw Ragz perform that my rating of her capabilities increased. What I witnessed was the most compelling live performance that kept my associate and I pinned to our seats and in danger of missing our next venue show. Her voice is incredibly powerful and delivered without effort. It was an intensely expressive performance and the kind that one doesn’t forget in a hurry. My point here is that here is an unsigned artist who is way better than those the media have heaped with coverage and praise. I looked around me to see if any record industry types were there to witness what we had and I couldn’t see any.

Ragz needs to work with a great producer. Of the many acts I saw at Liverpool Sound City 2009 Ragz (along with two other acts) left me wanting more. I have now visited her website which is linked to her Myspace page and discovered that she has a mini-album for sale. I suggest that you pay a visit…

4/5