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Gabriella Cilmi: Lessons To Be Learned

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Release date: 10 May 2008 (Island/Warner)
When little kids start getting record deals, it's safe to assume that pop has well and truly eaten itself. Gabriella Cilmi first popped up several years ago, at the age of 13, with a few contributions to the Hating Alison Ashley soundtrack. Now that she's reached an evergreen 16, Australia's own Cilmi (she's from Dandenong: if you mess with her, she's probably quite capable of organising a posse to beat you up at the station) has released an album of bluesy, world-weary pop in Lessons To Be Learned.

Things don't exactly start well - brassy opener Save the Lies recalls Anastacia at her least subtle. Thankfully, the opening is something of a misnomer, as the rest of the album displays a sly, winning way with melody. This is in no small part thanks to the talents of UK production supremos Xenomania, who oversaw the record in its entirety. Australian number one single Sweet About Me marries the usual Xenomania calling cards - multiple catchy choruses and fantastic, gibberish lyrics - to a shuffling groove that's half a world away from their usual productions for the likes of Girls Aloud or Sugababes.

The only other song here that matches it for sheer pop thrills is Got No Place To Go, a brilliantly beat-driven slice of ?60s-influenced Northern Soul. If released, it should follow Sweet to the top of the charts. Elsewhere, the ballad Sanctuary has a swinging Parisian feel, while Cilmi rocks out on the gutsy Terrifying.

Her voice doesn't quite live up to the breathless hyperbole showered upon it - as with her contemporary Joss Stone, she sounds like a teenaged white girl doing a pretty good impersonation of a soul diva, rather than the real deal - but there's enough evidence here to suggest that Cilmi is more than capable of growing into both her voice and her songs.

Tracks:
1. Save the Lies
2. Sweet About Me
3. Sanctuary
4. Einstein
5. Don't Wanna Go To Bed Now
6. Cigarettes & Lies
7. Messy
8. Awkward Game
9. Safer
10. Terrifying
11. Sad Sad World
12. Sit In the Blues
13. Sorry

Nick Bond, May 2008