Released 17th May, Guardian Angels Records


Merchants & Thieves features a wide range of mainly bluesy tracks, with a sprinkling of soul and gospel added for good measure. Songs of note to the author are the "Runaway Train", which features a huge change in tempo (and would make a great single release) and the classic blues of "Show No Concern" which features a great country sounding guitar and Sandi's sultry vocals. There is not a duff track on the album and I love the use of the blues harp - will 2010 be the year she returns to our radios?

Sandi has delivered us a modern blues album. The inclusion of an instrumental track, the album title "Merchant & Thieves", together with the moving a cappella track, "Ghost Town" clearly show that Sandi Thom has cut her ties with the restrictive money-making pop machine and self-released an album to enable her the freedom to record something the record execs would not previously allow. As she sings "I was born in the belly of the blues" - perhaps this was her wish all along?

It's such a shame she does not have the big budget to go against the millions spent on advertising by the big labels on generic pop music as this song-writing should be experienced by as many people as possible. For now I urge you to go a buy a copy and share in 2010's best kept secret.

Posted In Album Reviews, May 23 2010. Words - Mark