Gabriella Cilmi, Lessons To Be Learned
Gabriella Cilmi is a 16-year old Aussie who's already made a considerable mark with her appearance on By and by...with Jools and the single Confection Around Me, where she tramps all over her have 'nice girl' effigy. Tote up to this support slots with Rufus Wainwright and Nouvelle Vague and various soundtrack appearances and it seems that Island records are locution they've set up yet another 'soul' diva with a voice that's experienced way beyond her tender years. Doesn't it wholly sound a little excessively familiar?
But it truly seems unfair to deny the gift on display here. The writing (unremarkably shared between Gabriella and her production team) is sound and varied enough to keep you hearing. The part projected is fitly feisty, which suits her delivery. Alone her attempt at the Martha and the Muffins classic, Echo Beach (recorded as the motif tune to er...Echo beach, and included here as a bonus) is best glossed over. In fact that's the best way to discover it, coming as it does with a gloss so high that it ceases to subsist. Or perhaps it's just now uptempo numbers that she can't yet handle with. Terrifying is besides a little hamfisted. She's best on the sultry 'classic soul'-styled book of Numbers like Chancel or Safer. The production by Xenomania (Girls Out loud, Sugababes etc) is brilliantly and bolshevik - going good deal of space to let the impressive voice do its stuff. Cigarettes And Lies in particular is pitched just right with its scratchy blues-driven hooks.
The difficulty may be in the timing. The articulation is doubtlessly phenomenal. Simply blindfold someone and play them this back to indorse with Joss Rock, Amy Winehouse, Duffy and even (god help us) Anastasia and you'll bulge to be a little confused. As is the direction with a creative arena that's also an industry, labels are unimaginative in trying to force fertilize us likewise much of something a little overly formulaic.This is a shame, for you sentience that somewhere inside totally this is a true talent and personal identity hungriness to escape, only existence generically groomed to the point of extinguishing. If her management and track record troupe could go out her alone for two or trey long time (and a real band of her have) this teen may well become a personnel to reckon with.
Potshot
