Crawl is the début single from Irish singer-songwriter Claire Odlum, who performs
with guitarist Dave Redfearn under the moniker of ODi. Currently based in Leeds, the duo have
toured both in Ireland and the North of England.
The mood of the track is set by the guttural opening riff from which the song builds into a
tapestry of chiming guitars and rich vocals. Coming in somewhere between the dark swagger of
PJ Harvey and the more commercially polished Alanis Morissette, Crawl is a deceptively catchy
piece of well crafted pop rock. The two B-sides Mariposa and Don't Let Me Fall both take
a more stripped back approach, featuring just acoustic guitar and vocals. Whilst demonstrating
a more tender side to ODi's songwriting, the songs lack the strong personality of the lead track.
Crawl is a less conventional take on the female singer-songwriter genre and is ultimately a
satisfying and accomplished piece. It shows that ODi's songs benefit from full arrangements and
the production polish that isn't present on the other two, more generic sounding, tracks. Overall
the single shows the kind of promise and talent that should make ODi appeal to a wider audience.