Gabriella Cilmi's "Ten"
She may be just eighteen, but Australian singer-songwriter Gabriella Cilmi has already reinvented herself in time for her second album. It was a brave move completely changing her sound from that on award-winning debut Lessons To Be Learned, but it was definitely worth the risk, if anything the comparisons to Amy Winehouse might finally stop. For follow-up Ten, Cilmi mainly ditches the almost bluesy sound and instead opts for assertive disco-influenced pop that says one thing: “I’m here, I’m a woman and I’m ready for business”; a message that is pretty much summed up in opening track and lead single On A Mission.
Ten is a mix of uptempo, synth-filled stompers such as Hearts Don’t Lie, Boys and Invisible Girl and is balanced out with powerful ballads that show-off Gabriella’s vocals: Glue, Defender and Superman. Highlights include Superhot, an extremely danceable and catchy tune that’s more eighties than leg-warmers; and the rememberable Let Me Know with it’s heartfelt lyrics – “Let me know, you’re in over you’re head. Let me know, if you don’t I just might lose control”. The album finishes off with a “twenty-ten version” of Gabriella’s easily most recognisable song Sweet About Me, which perfectly bridges the gap between the contrasting genres in her two albums that make us wonder which direction she could go in next.
3.5/5 – Much more than mediocre!
Ten is released March 22nd in the UK.
Track listing: 1. On A Mission 2. Hearts Don’t Lie 3. What If You Knew 4. Love Me Cos You Want To 5. Defender 6. Robots 7. Superhot 8. Boys 9. Invisible Girl 10. Glue 11. Let Me Know 12. Superman 13. Sweet About Me (Twenty Ten Version) 14. Sucker For Love (iTunes-only bonus track)
