Melissa Etheridge

For this album Melissa Etheridge is looking to push the boundaries, bringing in the likes of R&B artist Roccstar to collaborate. This willingness to stretch herself is admirable for someone with such a loyal and established fanbase. It will be intriguing therefore to see what fans have thought of the likes of Monster, with its funky almost rapped verse. It's not the only track that stands out, with All The Way Home a firey pop anthem that could be a hit for someone like Gavin DeGraw.

Elsewhere there are more typical Etheridge moments, including the powerfully charged ballad and closer Who Are You Waiting For, which was written for (and played at) her wedding to longtime friend Linda Wallem last year. The rock boots are firmly on for Ain't That Bad (co-written with RoccStar) and the wonderful Take My Number shows she can take on newcomers like Beth Hart. Also impressive is the folk inspired Stranger Road, featuring Neyla Pekarek from The Lumineers on cello.

Of course not every new idea or experiment works, the clunky A Little Bit Of Me should have been left for a more polished pop treatment. It's strange in this day and age that This Is M.E. has already been out in America for several months. The Internet has tended to warrant staggered releases redundant, but the January release comes ahead of UK shows in the spring. But glad we finally got there!