DEBUT: Self titled album all set to hit the shelves
LONDON born singer-songwriter, Eliza Doolittle’s self titled debut album is a baby-faced look into her world of bouncy, summer melodies that at times are irresistibly catchy. The 22-year-old songstress, who has supported the likes of Jamie Cullum and Alphabeat on recent tours, has left her musical theatre background in the past to release this fresh new record.
The album is filled with sweet, cutesy lyrics that only the most hard faced critic could fail to find amusing like in the reminiscent ‘Back to Front’, where Doolittle beautifully sings, “we’d be pulling down the daisies, drinking milk and feeling lazy.” In fact on this track Doolittle’s vocals are exemplary and uncannily like her pop predecessor Bailey Rae, with an innocently natural voice that captures the essence of the song.
The first single to come from the record, ‘Skinny Genes’, is a dreamy track that makes you want to skip your way to work, with infectious whistling that litters the chorus. This cheery track cant help but bring a spring to your step with Doolittle’s soon-to-be trademark bouncy guitar strumming and rhythmic drumming. The youngster also manages to mix in plenty of cheeky lines that are far from cutesy like, “I really don’t like your skinny genes, so take them off for me, show me what you’ve got underneath so we can do this properly.”
But at points you cant help but feel like Doolittle is trying a little bit hard to throw in puns and double meanings as the track ‘Mr Medicine’ shows. With a slower strum and softer vocal, Doolittle comes out with some cheesy lines about the man in her life (Mr Medicine) that are at times cringe-worthy such as, “Mr Medicine I need my vitamins, what do you recommend?”
And as much as this album demonstrates Doolittle’s strengths, it does begin to grate somewhat with some forgettable songs like ‘Smokey Room’ with its uncharacteristically harsh guitar and far from catchy chorus, “Yeah ‘cause that’s so original.”
The undoubted highlight of the record however is its second single ‘Pack Up’, which features a bouncy bassline, retro piano and sound bites from George Henry Powell’s 1930s marching song, ‘Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag’ and even a strange “tweet tweet” solo by Doolittle. The song comes together to make a classy, feel good, pop track that is the album’s stand out song.
Eliza Doolittle’s first offering is relatively hit and miss but the hits, it must be said, are big hits. For a debut album this is an imaginative pop record that has a definitively soft and sweet style that fits the summer months down to a tee. With an emotive voice like that of Corinne Bailey Rae and some of the cheeky charisma of Lily Allen, the signs are there that sweet summer pop could have a new face given time.
7/10
Also published on www.virgin.com
http://www.virgin.com/music/reviews/eliza-doolittle-album-review-eliza-doolittle
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