Gabriella Cilmi Album: “Lessons to Be Learned [US Version]”

Hearing something great from my old town is a bonus for a start, but with this CD there is a whole lot more going on than sentimentality.

Gabriella launches with an energetic and essentially fun album with lots of variety. At her relatively young age her voice shows extraordinary promise. She delivers a wonderful bluesy tone now and I can't wait to hear how this voice and song writing ability matures over time. It is a fantastic first album with the promise of a lot more to come. After a few listens it does sound a little thin and 'young' and you notice the immaturity, but that's actually okay! She is young!

However, here is a confidence in delivery that is very compelling. I also appreciate the different direction that Gabriella has taken than the '1,000 plus sound roughly alike zero content generic stamped 'wannabees'.

She has the ability to rise above the MTV music video writhing femmes with their now obligatory rap artist counterparts and carve out a long lasting career.

I sincerely hope her management helps protect her from the bland ordinariness of pop-culture.

I probably wouldn't have heard of Gabriella Cilmi or her album if not for my Amazon buddy Olukayode Balogun. I must confess, I was a bit wary as I wasn't too sure of his Pop antecedents (:-)) and also seeing as the album was produced by Xenomania whose work includes Girls Aloud, a group whose music I'm not crazy about. Anyways, as he's usually got impeccable musical taste, I decided to give it a try.

Vocally, she falls somewhere in between Duffy and Amy Winehouse, though I find her voice tends to get a bit whiny at times. Still, she does sound soulful.

Opening is the upbeat pop/rock song "Save the lies" which is just ok (it wouldn't sound out of place on a Girls Aloud album) and I thought, uh oh! However, next comes the single "Sweet about me" which wouldn't sound too out of place on Duffy's album. It is a sixties sounding Motown-esque swinging pop song and it is rather nice. Continuing in that mould are "Sanctuary", the retro ballad "Einstein" (nice guitars), and the sixties stomp "Messy". On the upbeat side of things are "Got no place to go" and "Don't want to go to bed now" (which reminds me somewhat of Blondie's "Call me" but without the synthesizers.

Next come a spectacular pair of songs; the Blues-tinged string swept "Awkward game" (this song is brilliant, my favourite), and the tender piano ballad "Safer". Both are reason enough to get this album.

"Cigarettes and lies" is another swinging retro sounding number, "Terrifying" is upbeat Blues, while the ballad "Sit in the blues" is simply lovely. Closing is the bonus cut, "Echo beach", a remake of the Martha & the Muffins song, a bouncy romp with jangly Smiths-style guitars with Cilmi again channelling Blondie. Super!

A pleasant addition to any music collection. Thanks once again Kayode.

I was amazed with the ease of the ordering process. Also with the speed at which it was sent. The CD itself was well worth it, what a voice this kid has, I'm 47 years old and I listen to her everyday on my way to work.

This young woman is a talent to be watched. The comparisons to the music of Amy Winehouse are deserved. Very similar indeed but without the maturity or the addictions. I can't wait to see what she will achieve with the maturity, I hope she avoids the addictions.

Great album!

I've been subjected to this album many times in my workplace now and I would like to say a few words about. I don't like it one little bit. The songs and their lyrics are trite, trivial and bleedin' obvious. The vocal approach is undisciplined and "whiney" - think sub-Duffy. The melodies of the songs are very average.

The whole thing is rather tedious and juvenile, which is to be expected from a girl of Ms Cilmi's tender years, I suppose. If she kept quiet for a few years and perfected her art away from the public, she might develop into an interesting performer. The way she is going, however, in two years she will be "Gabriella who?".

This one gets my "Sandi Thom" award for the month.

Dare I say it, 'kill me' if I ever have to hear this trashy album again!