A mixture of genre's in one musician or group is becoming a 'thing' now with many artists experimenting within their music and with Widnes' very own Laura and Claire, there is no exception. The charming vocals and the acoustic feel of their tracks really opens up a new, enchanting world, full of folk and alternative rock...
Dr. Bones - Dr. Bones Music (Radio) (Ontario, Canada)
I interviewed Laura&Claire back in December of 2012. It was quite a pleasure to interview these two talented ladies. They are quirky and a fun pair as they have been literally life long friends and you can tell. I had an opportunity to ask them about the story behind a certain song. They both thought the story was quote, "cheesey" but it's far from it. The song is called Midnight Blue which is my favorite, and it is about a childhood story from when they were 15 years old. What makes the song interesting is their adult selves reliving a childhood memory through music. Laura&Claire have a unique sound. Between their subtle but strong harmonization throughout their songs and their ability to reach a crowd they will be the next Tegan&Sarah.
Sues - Surrounded By (London, UK)
Kicking into the New Year with a bang, are the deliciously talented Laura and Clare, whose superbly scripted songs are edged with melancholic melody, just listen to "Midnight Blue" and "Pretend to Like It", for proof that less is more, an acoustic guitar and an uncomplicated riff are transformed into something mesmerising when paired with the truly unique combination of Laura and Clare's two voices...
Simon Owens, Halton Rocks (Widnes, UK)
"Laura&Claire are Laura
Griffiths and Claire Smith, two singer-songwriters from Widnes, Halton, in
their early twenties. Halton itself has long had a proud reputation for its
music scene, a scene which seems to experience both famines and feasts alike in
terms of active performers throughout the generations. Currently, there is somewhat
of a resurgence in acts coming through, catering for a wide variety of genres
from the heavy (for example, Templar) to the light (for example, Junior).
Laura&Claire find themselves at the lighter end of the spectrum, typically
backed by only their acoustic guitars. Having begun playing guitar together at
Church, the duo set out on a mission to have their own songs heard wherever and
whenever possible.
They are tireless in their gig
schedule, having begun with regular performances back in 2007, and leading them
to their latest live album, 'Playing Out'. Playing Out showcases a set of light
and accessible pop/folk songs, with a happy, bluesy flavour to the melodies
that sometimes belies a certain darkness to the lyrical themes. Opener Unsung
Hero sets the swingy vibe that Laura&Claire like to create, with its
persistent melody and irresistible hook (on the line "Only wanna go there
when you're not around"), and coda featuring a bluesified variation on the
original tune.
Elsewhere, The Garden is a captivating
song. It has courtyard-like qualities; whilst it may be a 6/8 ballad, it feels
like a waltz and screams out for mandolin. The highlight, however, from a
songwriting point of view must surely be Midnight Blue. This is a fine, fine
song with a 'feel good' chorous, warm chords and pleasing harmonies. Midnight
Blue is the stand-out moment for this recording, with a mature quality to the melody
and lyric that is perhaps lacking in the album's only loss of momentum, the
90s-light, Desree-esque ballad, Now I'm Home.
The key draw at a
Laura&Claire gig, however, is the vocals and the two-part arrangements that
have become the duo's signature (third track Skeletons In Wonderland being a
case in point). What's pleasing about these arrangements is the thought and
preparation that is apparent - at times we find the duo harmonising, at other
times singing an octave apart and at other times simply sharing the same melody
line in unison. Throughout the album, they sing clearly and accurately, and
their greatest strength is the fact that both ladies' voices have that likable,
appealing quality that makes an audience want to listen.
Despite their young years,
Laura&Claire have been gigging for some time now, and regular audiences
members have seen them grow in confidence and delivery. And yet, you still
don't get the impression that these two live performers, with their tentative
"hello"s and quiet "thank you"s quite believe their own
potential. But the measure of whether or not people actually want to listen to
an act is often when an act plays a song that requires some attention from an audience.
These songs are difficult, and Skeletons In Wonderland is that moment on this
live album - a slow burner complete with dynamic breakdowns, you could only
choose to play that song if you felt you had full command of the audience's
attention. Here, for the whole song, you cannot hear a pin drop, not a murmour
of chatter from the audience, until the applause at the end. That should be
evidence enough that, although Laura&Claire might not fully believe that
the world wants to hear them, we, the audience, certainly do."