Callaghan

Double take as this writer was sure that he had slotted the new Callaghan album into the CD player not Kacey Musgraves. However after Crazy Beautiful Life, Callaghan’s own identity comes to the fore.

Having spent a lot of time in America performing and recording, Callaghan’s third album is an assured release that sees her embracing the rich variety that the country has to offer.

The aforementioned Crazy Beautiful Life is a wonderful opener; an easy going casual stroll of a tune just wafts the listener along with it. It’s one of a number of tracks; the feel-good Noah’s Song and the joyful/playful Best Year, that will have the audiences swaying along.

Lobbed in the mix are a few choice slowies such as the quite beautiful I’ll Take You Away, the piano driven Parachute - which drifts close to power-ballad territory, and the semi-epic Lost.

It’s all superbly performed, precision produced and close to an exercise in bland technical MOR virtuosity. That it’s not, is squarely down to Callaghan’s sublime and versatile performance. Whether it’s the ballads or the up-tempo material she imbues the songs with a comeliness that’s otherwise missing. Highly recommended.