Debut album from Oxford singer, songwriter and producer Bethany Lyn.  Get Set is a showcase for Bethany’s potent blend of jazz, folk, pop, funk and more and it serves notice: there’s more to come…

A SHOWCASE

Bethany Lyn is a singer, songwriter and producer, based in Oxford.  She’s also a sometime member of Oxford indie/funk band Faultless and – to add to an impressive set of musical credentials – she’s the daughter of Steph Pirrie, one third of At The Barrier’s favourite Waterways Trio, Three Idle Women.

Bethany first crossed the At The Barrier radar when she performed an opening slot for Three Idle Women at their Ross-on-Wye gig, back in December 2024.  She grabbed our attention then, with her enticing blend of jazz, folk and pop, the maturity of her songwriting and the soft, mellow, warmth of her voice.  We predicted – with confidence – that we’d be hearing more from Bethany Lyn before too long, and we were right. 

Self-penned, self-recorded and self-produced, Get Set – Bethany’s debut album – is a veritable showcase for Bethany’s talents.  That blend of styles that we noticed during our first encounter is present and correct, with a few added doses of funk thrown in for good measure.  The fluency and depth of her songwriting is breathtaking and, most striking of all, Bethany’s voice expresses a range of emotions – from soft vulnerability, via quiet anger to something that verges on arrogance – without ever losing an ounce of its signature charm.

RELAXING MOOD

Jazzy fingerpicked guitar leads the accompaniment to Bethany’s clear, bluesy vocals in opening track, Bubbles.  The music is well-ordered with horn sounds, light percussion and even a few swirls of synth registering a presence.  It all establishes a relaxing mood that the listener just senses will endure for the entire album.

There’s a Joni Mitchell flavour to Bethany’s voice as she casts out her quickfire lyrics to the easy, jazzy Ceilings – an early album highlight.  The backing is rich and full, underpinned by a solid bass, and the feel is happy, breezy and dreamy, particularly when Bethany’s multi-tracked vocal harmonies take centre-stage.

Harmonised guitars provide the soft, tinkling background for Honestly, another of Bethany’s dreamier offerings.  Echo-y backing vocals offer an ethereal counterpoint to Bethany’s intimate vocals and string effects add a nice finishing touch.  The summery, jazzy mood is retained for Something Right, but it’s here that Bethany also adds a dash of funk to the mix.  Bass, and an insistent percussive rhythm, blend nicely together and the intimacy in Bethany’s voice is replaced by something that’s slightly more confident and confrontational.

CHIFFON ON THE BREEZE

Bethany seems to specialize in quickfire lyrics and she fires out another salvo in the jazzy, funky Miracles.  This time, however, there’s maybe a hint of self-doubt detectable in her voice…  Rosemary Rows is a song that Bethany wrote when she was just 14 years old and it’s clear, from the fluency of her delivery, that it’s a song that she’s been performing regularly ever since.  It’s another album highlight, with fingerpicked acoustic guitar providing the perfect backing to Bethany’s intimate, melodic vocals.

There’s a poppier side to Bethany’s music, and Cookie is a delightful example of what happens when she turns her head in that direction.  The jazzy undercurrent is still there but, here, it’s overlaid with a bright, punchy rhythm and choppy guitars.  And, above it all glides Bethany’s lovely voice – a chiffon scarf, fluttering in a soft breeze.

The poppy flavour is retained for Promises, a song built upon a bubbly bassline and a light, sharp rhythm.  There’s an intriguing insight to Bethany’s lyrics: “I’m too talkative, I’m so meek.  I make promises I can’t keep.  It’s all stacking up in a pile – wish I had nothing to do, but I’m doing it all with a smile,” and they’re delivered with an offhand casualness that’s mixed with a sense of quiet determination.

DON’T CROSS THIS LADY…

The ukelele that provides the drive for the ageless, jazzy Brighter Side comes as a pleasant surprise.  I’ve previously noticed a Kate Nash presence in Bethany’s music and that presence makes an appearance here, particularly when Bethany delivers the song’s “You don’t feel ri-i-ight” punchline. 

And, as if to drive home the variety that Get Set has on show, Bethany plunges into fast, chugging rock (albeit with a reassuringly smooth edge) for the venomous Pretty Boy.  Vulnerability, spite and self-doubt are all present in Bethany’s lyrics and, whilst there’s no bitterness in her tone, she gives the definite impression that crossing her whilst she’s in full flow would not be a good idea…

Electric guitar, keyboard and Bethany’s ethereal voice set the scene for Writer’s Block, the album’s dreamy closing track.  Bethany’s lyrics arrive from all points of the compass as she bemoans the frustration of searching hard for inspiration, yet finding none.  She says a great deal, using few words, and it’s a wonderfully self-effacing way to sign off an engaging, varied and thoroughly enjoyable album.

Get Set is a veritable showcase for what Bethany Lyn has on offer.  I have a distinct feeling that there’s much more to come…

Listen to Miracles – a track from the album – below:

Bethany Lyn: Website

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