Leah Capelle
Leah Capelle
URL: https://www.leahcapelle.com/
Talk about pain in the 21st century! Singer-songwriter Leah Capelle provides a delicate canvas of heartbreak with her self-titled EP. The paint is never quite perfect or in the lines just like love never is. Hurt is never warranted but for the Chicago-based singer it’s a profitable experience.
“Some say distance makes the heart fonder/But we can’t seem to do this any longer,” Capelle melts on “My Love Has Dried Up.” It’s the best of the six tracks, relatable line by line to the human experience. Her voice soars while revealing an aching, vulnerable softness. Its scope is Sara Barailles-y. In a ballsy move of pure maturity and storytelling, Capelle even drops the ‘F’ word but for effect rather than shock. Love doesn’t come with a manual or a lifetime guarantee. “So it’s time I take my heart back/Because I gladly gave it to you for so long.” Regardless of Capelle’s young age the statement rings true…oh, so true.
The Top 40 baby “Would You Know” hangs up Capelle’s sadness for a moment as she sings with a convicted sense of fun and pop appeal. “You’re a cruel one if we don’t make it to the next round…” Point the finger at the unwitting, unloving man why don’t you.
On “In A Boat,” the guitar takes a quick break as the piano aids Capelle on this powerful number. A stunning tribute to her grandfather, it is Capelle at her most personal and delicate. Her high notes transitioning to her lower and middle are a thing of a beauty. “Soon he will go in a boat leaving us all alone,” Capelle poetically delivers about the impending fate of death without actually having to say the “D” word. Even the piano-driven melody isn’t necessarily sad by any means. “Natural Disaster,” on the other hand, offers another look at the versatile talent with an edge and a rockier side. Capelle isn’t all puppy dog eyes and tear drops. Rather, it tips the scale between pain and fun.
“My Confession” is a good blend of singer-songwriter charm and mainstream radio sweetness. She’s taking stabs at herself while asking for forgiveness. The simple piano chords on “This Storm” allows for Capelle’s voice to truly shine alongside strings chiming in every once in a while. She is a platform of honesty here, comparing doubt to cancer. Okay, it may not be the same medically but the lingering thoughts get you. “Let it rain,” she muses. After all, there’s no way of avoiding rain drops but we manage to survive. “Truth is I can’t stop this storm,” Capelle sings.
Pain is a universal emotion but Capelle manages to place it under a microscope. She crafts stories – powerful ones at that.
ALL MUSIC: https://www.allmusic.com/album/leah-capelle-mw0002797681
Maria Dickerson