Kate Nash
Girl Talk

Debuting in 2007 as a relatively normal girl, a bit on the chubby side with a passion for a very '60s look and excellent taste in music, Kate Nash, with her brilliant debut "Made of Bricks," managed to establish herself as one of the most promising singer-songwriters in the brit-pop scene. However, unlike peers who mostly prefer to continue their artistic careers in the vein of their debut to avoid disappointing fans (and record labels), this talented girl underwent, starting from the second album "My Best Friend is You," a progressive image change that transformed her from a simple city girl into a decidedly more aggressive and mature woman, as well as a convinced feminist. The aforementioned album was, however, a transitional work and, despite the presence of very rockish tracks, the spirit of Regina Spektor that permeated the entire "Made of Bricks" was still quite audible, especially in the tracks featuring the piano. "Girl Talk" thus represents the turning point album for Kate Nash, with traces of "spektorian" influence minimized, specifically in "Labyrinth" and "Oh".

The rest of the album ventures into completely different realms: punk and garage-rock sounds hover throughout the rest of the listening experience, whether they give life to rough and gritty pieces ("All Talk," "Sister," and "Cherry Pickin'") or provide a backdrop to ironic and sharp lyrics, which Kate always writes well ("OMYGOD!" and the not-so-successful but still commendable rap experiment in "Rap For Rejection"). Notable are also the slower pieces (the already mentioned "Labyrinth," "Part-Heart," and the acoustic "You're So Cool, I'm So Freaky") and those where the rock sounds of the album merge with the pop and confessional lyrics to which Nash had accustomed us previously ("Are you There, Sweetheart?" and "3AM," with a different arrangement, could have easily been included in "Made of Bricks"). However, where she shines the most is when she almost completely cuts ties with the past: hence we are presented with two tracks of cinematic flair such as "Lullaby for An Insomniac" with its perfectly fitting final orchestral crescendo and the excellent "Death Proof" with its very "Tarantino-esque" guitar. An added value is Kate's voice: always captivating, expressive, and distinctive, it manages to be sharp and aggressive (the parts where she shouts somewhat remind one of Janis Joplin), but also sweet and intimate as in the times of "Mouthwash" and "Foundations".

What Kate Nash offers us with "Girl Talk" is a shift, perhaps not definitive, from her previous albums, a shift condensed into an album that might not contain any masterpieces to be passed down to posterity, but should be praised if only for the fact that it highlights that the artist clearly knows which artistic and musical path to follow and, at least for now, has no intention of conforming to public or record label tastes. An album with its highs and lows, but generally enjoyable and worth attention and crafted with passion by an artist in continuous evolution who deserves to be followed.