Portraits - Counterbalance

2012 release from the band formed by Irish singer Lorraine Reilly and Bristolian pianist Jeremy Millington. The Portraits' warm upbeat sound which mixes folk with music theatre, jazz and classical styles has secured the band a big following in the UK and France. Counterbalance follows an intense year of music-making by the band, taking in performances at 2011's Glastonbury Festival and the writing and releasing of a brand new song every Friday throughout 2012 based on ideas sent in by fans. The new 13-track collection has been dubbed the Justice Album as it includes songs about the attempts to silence WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, women's battle to be judged by their ideas and not their appearance and the way in which religion can create more fear than it heals.