Anna Calvi's debut album is released through Domino Records and for reasons I can't quite fathom the music press has been lapping this up. Personally I found it a little on the dull side, with half hearted production values.

There's a flavour of Chrissie Hynde - and that's about the only good aspect I could find in here. There's the odd promising track (the instrumental 'Rider to the Sea', 'No More Words' and 'Suzanne and I' which seems to have borrowed from one too many Bond themes) but the majority of this album is rather tiresome.

Track like 'The Devil' made me wince with embarrassment. I mean this really is a little self indulgent and rather amateurish. And Calvi's wailing gets annoying fast. But when she stops warbling all over the place she has a fantastic voice.

Sadly though, this album is more miss than hit.

4

Nick Smithson