Little Dreamer

Comments about UCJ Beth Rowley - Little Dreamer:

From the start of Little Dreamer it's apparent this is classy operation and despite her young age Rowley steers a smooth and mature sounding ship. Her take on the standard Nobody's Fault But Mine, complete with a grand arrangement and lavish backing vocals, is impressive. It's the same again with the soulful, if a tad unadventurous, Sweet Hours which sounds readymade to soundtrack Sunday brunch. Although she doesn't manage to completely sell the emotional depth of the Winehouse-y love gone wrong of You Never Called Me Tonight, it's still a set highlight. Also good, if a little unexciting, are her pop moments such as the sunshine swing-pop of So Sublime, unsurprisingly lifted as a single, the reggae-lite of the Bob Dylan cover I Shall Be Released, and Oh My Life which has a charming girl group swing to it.But overall Little Dreamer is a reasonably pedestrian album, not bad, but far from great, and sadly gets dragged down by an M.O.R. dullness which manages to overshadow what is good. Despite her fine vocal performance the Willie Nelson track Angel Flying Too Close To the Ground, a duet with Duke Special, it is painfully dull, and the gospel of When The Rains Come sounds straight out of church (which may appeal to some listeners, but I'll pass thanks). More of the same is Almost Persuaded and Beautiful Tomorrow which I'm happy to leave as memories.Quality control can't be argued in this collection of soul, jazz, country & blues, and Rowley (tour singer for Ronan Keating and Enrique Inglesias) has an undeniable set of strong bluesy pipes, however it's a voice that lacks distinction and unfortunately so does Little Dreamer.