Simon RushworthCassidy Paris – Broken Hearted (Self Released)
Any teenage rock chick sporting a Dokken tee on her publicity shots deserves serious attention. But it’s not just a keen sense of retro rock fashion that sets Cassidy Paris apart from her peers.
New EP Broken Hearted follows singles Talk About It and Stand (and for those playing catch up both appear on this four-track showcase of a red hot talent) and continues Paris’ co-writing journey with Paul Laine.
The charismatic former Danger Danger frontman knows a thing or two about melodic rock and he knows how to capture this Aussie pocket rocket at her convincing best. Laine recorded and mixed the four songs here and it’s a polished effort from the Canadian-based veteran.
Paris might have met idol Taylor Swift at the tender age of eight but opener Song For The Broken Hearted is more Avril Lavigne-styled pop rock than Swift’s early country fare. Schooled in Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Def Leppard and, of course, Dokken, the 16-year-old is a study in transforming made-for-MTV 80s style into a sound ripe for modern radio.
Check out the video for Song For The Broken Hearted – the visuals reference White Lion, Kiss, Guns N Roses, Maiden and fellow Aussies AC/DC – and it’s clear that Paris has done her homework. But Broken Hearted is more canny reinvention than lazy rehash as Laine ensures his prodigy’s character and identity comes to the fore.
With tours of Japan and the USA under her belt already it’s only a matter of time before Paris hits the UK. Don’t miss out.