Reviewed by Paul S Ganney

Sandi Thom you will know from the hit single (included here) "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)" which very much sets the tone for this CD, being folk-tinged pop in style and relies very heavily on Thom's vocal. It therefore matters rather a lot whether you like her voice or not, as it's the more acoustic-styled songs that work better - they're the ones that stand out - as opposed to the straighter band workouts. There's an element of early Melissa Etheridge in there (particularly "What If I'm Right") and a hint of the Beautiful South in some of the arrangements, too, especially "Sunset Borderline" and "Castles", but you keep coming back to her voice. If you like it (and I do) then this is a good CD. If you didn't like "Punk Rocker" then you're unlikely to like this, which means that the single has very much fulfilled its duty as a taster for the album (just like the old times that song harks back to). Standout track: "Time".

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.