Mercury (label)
08 March 2010 (released)
08 March 2010
Bit of a strange choice here. Sharleen Spiteri has had a successful career with Texas, and also equally on her own, with her debut solo album 'Melody’ hitting the Top 3. She has now however decided to release an album of covers – or movie song covers to be precise. Not sure about the motivations for this choice – money, commercial appeal, or in her favour, a chance to record some tracks she has always loved and admired?
The end result is pleasing enough, although as you’d expect not changing the world in any shape or form. This is where you feel this wasn’t the best move. Sharleen has an amazing, and unique voice, however this album feels more karaoke at times, rather than Sharleen being able to assert her own unique style on the tracks
Tracks like 'Xanadu’ and 'If I Can’t Have You’ are good covers, but don’t add much to the party. It’s on tracks like Elliot Smith's 'Between The Bars' from Good Will Hunting, and Bowie’s Cat People (Putting Out Fire) where Sharleen gets to stamp her sound across the tracks. These have a whole new feel and actually make you sit up and listen
This is a strange album at a point where Sharleen should be developing her solo career further (although rumour has it Texas will be back in the studio soon). 'Xanadu’ is getting airplay so all is not lost, and this album might actually do rather well commercially, it just not the path I would have thought she’d chosen.
The full track list is:
1. Xanadu
2. If I Can't Have You
3. God Bless The Child
4. Between The Bars
5. The Sound Of Silence
6. What's New Pussycat?
7. The Windmills Of Your Mind
8. Take Me With You
9. Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
10. Many Rivers To Cross
11. Oh, Pretty Woman
12. This One's From The Heart
13. Take My Breath Away’.
