Paloma Faith - Do you want the Truth or Something Beautiful

Rating

: * * *

Verdict

:

Winehouse, without the kick

The guys at Sony probably wouldn't have been very enthused by Paloma Faith if they had heard her before Amy Winehouse planted the neo-soul seed in their imaginations.

Her lyrics are predictable, her voice, though saucy, pretty uninspiring and there's certainly less urge to jump on a table and croon along with an air microphone - and pull out the finger wobble.

It's disappointingly restrained considering all the hubbub about Faith's background in cabaret and burlesque performances.

Upside Down

is one of a few gems on the album, which, if played at a gathering of sorts, could get bodies doing a nostalgic 1930s style-bop, while other songs on the album seem let down by the flat tempo.

The vocals on the album really seem best-suited to the orchestral piano and violins playing in

Broken Doll

- Faith would bring down a piano bar with this one.

Her singles

Stone Cold Sober

and

New York

do have the elements of chart-toppers - they're a bit different, but still fit the sound du jour - bit R&B, bit soul, bit pop ... and you can sing along.

Yes, Faith rolls smoothly along on Winehouse's bandwagon, but for someone with fiery-red hair and a tattooed torso, she's not very edgy.

Her album might come in an artistic case, but Faith seems a stone cold sober version of the girl who paved the way.

Jacqueline Smith