(VIRGIN)
Stephanie Kirkham might just be the sweetest find of all in 2003. Equipped with a 40-minute spread of 10 beautifully crafted songs, 'That Girl' is opened by the title track which immediately reminds of the upbeat pop-rock nature of Natalie Imbruglia.
The first 3 tracks are the strongest and most upbeat, 'Stay Here Close To Me' being a pared-down love plight before the sassy, ultra-catchy pop perfection & sublime chorus of the LP highlight - 'Inappropriate' - sounds to beckon Top 40 success.
The bold and the beautiful in Stephanie is a radiant star-in-the-making (with her long blonde hair and striking good looks she reminds of Vonda Shepherd), armed with killer eyebrows that make her appear an eternally moody soul, albeit perpetually sweet-natured and endearing. As for her voice, if you've heard Alison Krauss' and appreciate the finesse of her vocal talents then listen again to Kirkham's - it's wonderfully original and a distinctive joy to behold.
As the album progresses, some of the tracks seem experimentally mellow in a Bjork/ Donna Lewis-vein, as in 'Blank White Sheet.' 'Garden of Dreams,' meanwhile,' sounds to have been inspired by a Suzanne Vega masterclass in songwriting supremacy, all willfully whispery and intriguingly marvelous.
While 'That Girl' obsessively revolves around her quest to find a decent man and true love for all time, the self-pitiable moments - as through the sullen 'Monday Morning' - are always brightly outshone by her voice and a keen sense of awe-inspiring endearment that's a direct by-product of Stephanie's subtly soulful approach to life. Music. And the obvious thereafter�
'You never know when your life might change' she sings - and she's right, y'know. 5/5 (Steve Rudd)
www.stephaniekirkham.com