Elles Bailey Can't Take My Story Away Album Review

 

2026 may be only a few days old but with her new album Can't Take My Story Away Elles Bailey is about to see all her Christmas dreams come true.

Released on January 16th via Cooking Vinyl & Outlaw Music this is the follow up to her Beneath The Neon Glow album that reached number 12 in the charts and saw her support Rag n' Bone Man across the country last summer.

The record was created over a three year period with Luke Potashnick (ex Temperance Movement), who also co-wrote the majority of the songs whose origins can be traced back almost 10 years.

Luke's production is stunning with the focus on Elles voice full of soul and blues and every word matters in this stripped back format.

The title track starts the album with hints of brass added to the Elles mix and Elles urgent vocal shows it's full range from melodic breathless through to held notes that few can match.

Growing Roots was the first single and is all over UK radio just like the good old days. A funky vibe with female backing singers adding to the depth of the chorus too. A song for the summer months ahead.

Better Days was written by Elles good friend the late Matt Long of Catfish and is Americana personified with a beautiful groove and a huge chorus and extends to over 5 minutes. I love the light and shade as it ebbs and flows and a near jam portion at the end of the song will extend further I am sure in the live show.

Blessed is a ballad with just Elles wonderful vocal and string embellishments and is all the better for it.

Constant Need To Keep Going follows with a different balladic feel and Elles vocal mournful and expressive and showing that you can tell a story in so many ways when it is played this beautifully.

Take A Step Back ups the tempo and would not have been out of place in a jazz club back in the sixties. Brass dips in and out and Elles vocal shows off her smoky side and all builds to a brilliant chorus on a song that will get everyone moving in the live environment as the band jams out in the outro.

How Do You Do It sees sees some honky tonk piano added to the mix and the chorus dips in and out and more female backing vocals  and blues slide guitar soloing alongside the backing vocals in the outro.

Angel ups the tempo again with a sultry blues vocal and brass more involved throughout with a song that again will get the crowd moving in the live arena.

3 slower tempo songs finish the album with Starling's mournful refrain built purely on Elles vocal that builds and builds from quiet beginnings to around the 4 minute mark to a bluesy roar.

Can't Take My Story Away sees Elles Bailey star continue to ascend and with an instore tour of the UK due to start this week and more band dates across Europe and the UK shortly plenty of chances to see her and to experience this wonderful album in the live setting.