Rowetta - Rowetta Album Review

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Album Review

Some critics and music fans might snub this album on the grounds of Rowetta's X-Factor connection from 2004. Also, establishing some kind of longevity credibility is a problem for most of the contestants - few if any succeed. My gut feeling is different about Rowetta. The huge voice, a favourite of Simon Cowell's amazingly only managed fourth place. She entered the competition with a strong reputation as a vocalist with the Happy Mondays, Inner City et al. Now after 18 years of being in the studio environment, she gets her chance to showcase her talents. It would have been too easy to follow the predictable trashy pop path, but Rowetta has carefully planned her route. With a truly eclectic tracklisting, every song is perfectly suited to her husky soulful larynx - she's capable of giving Alison Moyet a run for her money any day. Along with some pretty impressive covers which make up most of the collection, she's even tried her hand at self-penned tracks Fly, Thunder and Lightning and Pure, Faithful and True.

When I saw the tracks, my first impression was that she's perfect for musicals, reinforced by outstanding workings of Camelot's If Ever I Would Leave You and her disco attempt at the Dreamgirls' musical anthem And I'm Telling You, which was a huge hit for Jennifer Holliday in 1982. As energetic as this version is, I'd have preferred an original ballad cover.

Every track is tackled with supreme confidence, and she also proves how malleable and adaptable she is.

Big ballads - It Should Have Been Me, big band sounds on a subtle opener Hello Detroit, and even a superb self-penned Northern Soul gem in Thunder and Lightning make this a very impressive debut.

Her destiny is surely in musicals, where she'd be as a big a name as the voice.

Elly Roberts