Rory Graham lets rip with an amazing voice on debut album Human

Every once in a while, a voice comes along that is so naturally soulful, it makes your hair stand on end. Much like Curtis Harding and the late, great Amy Winehouse, Rory Graham – aka Rag ’n’ Bone Man, a 32-year-old care worker from East Sussex, Britain – possesses one of those magnificent voices. A tattooed and bearded hulk with a brutish blues holler to match, Graham is far from an overnight sensation, having begun his musical career as a teenage rapper, but this is his time to shine. While he can no doubt growl and roar alongside the best young purveyors of vintage soul, Graham stands out from the other gritty singers for the sweet tenderness of his towering voice, as demonstrated on the a cappella gospel blues of Die Easy and the next sure-fire chart topper, The Bitter End. While the title track is a huge-selling single, the rest of the album sees Graham add hip hop beats and infectious pop hooks to the mix, ensuring surely that the vocalist will be no one-hit wonder.