Album review - Colourful House - BiTS - Blues In The South, UK - Issue 463 - November 2025

Zoe Schwarz and Rob Koral’s “Colourful House” is a vibrant, genre-defying celebration of musical craftsmanship. Across 14 original tracks, the duo— joined by a stellar cast of collaborators—blend blues, funk, pop, and rock into a cohesive yet kaleidoscopic experience.  Recorded at Echotown Studio in Dorchester, the album pulses with live energy and studio finesse.

   Schwarz’s vocals are commanding and emotive, shifting seamlessly from torch-song vulnerability to soulful swagger. Koral’s guitar work is equally versatile—fluid, expressive, and never showy. Pete Whittaker’s Hammond organ adds vintage warmth, while Eddie John’s drumming anchors the grooves with precision. Guest musicians, including Ian Ellis (tenor sax) and Andy Urquhart (trumpet) inject bursts of brass brilliance, especially on ‘Out The Front Door’.

   Standouts include the sultry opener ‘Venus Ain’t So Far Away,’ the introspective ‘A Tear Drop In The Sun’, and the title track ‘House of Colours’, which encapsulates the album’s eclectic spirit. The bonus track ‘It Ain’t Easy’ closes the set with a bluesy wink.

This one is a cracker!

words by: Ian McKenzie