Nerina Pallot

This debut album from a girl who enjoys running around Battersea Park in her spare time is definitely one to watch out for if your lacking dinner music on a Sunday when your Nan's round. Already with a fairly large fan base, she has a voice that is quite simply beautiful. Both you and your Nan will think so.

Her dulcet tones are shown off in the opening few tracks 'Damascus' and 'Sophia'. I found them really rather good. Melodic and intriguing, her ability is in abundance as both a singer and song writer.

There is a catch though. Quite honestly it's a shame Mother's Day has past as 'Fires' would adorn your Mum's CD library perfectly along with Corinne Bailey Rae and Rod Stewart. Don't get me wrong, I like her. She has a lovely voice and each track on the album is professionally put together. She's close to Nora, and it's very pleasant to listen to. I'd rather put on The Kooks personally, but then I don't drive an X5 and do the school run with two brats who need chicken sandwiches made for them in the morning. If I did, this is exactly the sort of CD I'd love to put on. After all, my husband didn't pay for the BOSE speaker upgrade for nothing.

The other thing is that although the first few tracks are summery and bright, the album is not that well balanced. My ears have given up every time I listen to the album by track eight, 'Learning to Breathe'. It escapes me why people load the beginning of so many albums with their best tracks.

Apart from my complaints, however, Fires is a classy album. Not for me but classy all the same. Next time you see a half-Indian girl from Jersey running in a park, wonder if it's Nerina. She'll soon be recognisable if recent appearances on Top of the Pops are anything to go on. Her first album shows promise. I just hope the second is stronger and more balanced.