Back in the days when Welsh music wasn't synonomous with rather dour indie-rock such as The Stereophonics or The Manics, there were one Welsh singer who's voice was guaranteed to make your heart melt, even if she was singing about The X Files or road rage.
Cerys Matthews' days in Catatonia may have been racous and booze-filled, but her solo career has coincided with matrimony and motherhood, hence her rather more sedate sound these days. It's suits her perfectly though, for Open Roads is a beautifully wistful ballad looking back at a relationship that's gone wrong.
There's Phil Spector-ish drums and strings, a lovely strummed acoustic line, some gorgeously bitter-sweet lyrics, and, of course, that voice presiding over matters in its usual sensual way. It's been three years since her last record, but thirty seconds into Open Roads it's like she's never been away.
