Agnes is a glass act

Agnes Obel might not be a big name on the UK pop music scene, but in Europe her first two albums have established her as a singer/songwriter of note.

Her debut album 2010’s Philharmonics and the follow up Aventine in 2013 have sold more than a million copies.

Her third album Citizen Of Glass was recorded and produced in Berlin.

Obel explained the idea behind the album’s name.

“The title comes from the German concept of the glaserner berger, the glass citizen. It’s actually a legal term about the level of privacy the individual has in a state.

“I worked with the title from the very beginning to push myself to do new things... to push the glass theme throughout the songs in different ways. As an album it feels bigger to me, a lot bigger.’’

And it is, as she moves away from the sparse template of piano and voice which she used so effectively on her first two albums.

In Obel’s case more is more!

With a classical music background – her influences range from Roy Orbison to Ravel – the musicianship is admirable, but the creative spark in the songwriting is the key to lifting her music and this album out of the ordinary.

Songs such as Stone and Golden Green are pretty and intense at the same time and her vocals have an edge that keep the drama quotient high. To be in with a chance of winning this album answer this question. What wd? Entries to Agnes, Nigel Thornton, Peterborough Telegraph, Unex House - Suite B, Bourges Boulevard, Peterborough, PE1 1NG by November 18.

Agnes Obel