Paloma Faith
A Perfect Contradiction

When making pop music, meant as explicitly or less so for radio listening, the line that separates an artist who actually has something to say from a mere product designed for mainstream consumption is notoriously thin. When it comes to people riding the wave of a trend or the resurgence of a particular musical genre, things become even less clear; thus, when clones of the British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse emerged one after another following the success of her soul revival, with results ranging from mediocre to unlistenable (especially the unbearable Duffy), it was impossible to know if the then-debutante Paloma Faith was just a flash in the pan destined to fizzle out within a few months or something more.

Of course, the debut album was a remarkable pop-soul work with some noteworthy gems (listen, for this, to the majestic and theatrical "Play On"), but even the first record can be a hit almost by accident. While with her second studio effort "Fall to Grace", more electronic and cinematic than its predecessor, the red-haired vocalist hinted that she could last longer than any plastic doll, it is only with the third full-length that she strikes the blow and confirms herself as an artist truly capable of rising above today's pop music.

It must be said that the girl had already immediately shown that she had the foundations to do well in her work: besides having a remarkable voice perfectly suited to the genre she sings, her extravagant look and her being a cheerful and over-the-top character stood out in a musical world that often takes itself a little too seriously. However, image is nothing without good songs, and people like Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga are there to show it; Paloma, however, seems to be aware of this and instead of aspiring to become like the previously mentioned "artists", she prefers to emulate the lightheartedness of Cyndi Lauper, from whom she takes inspiration in both interpretative charge and candid mannerism devoid of fake niceties, while not forsaking a decidedly bizarre wardrobe.

Musically speaking, the girl, in this "A Perfect Contradiction", partially abandons the retro musical atmospheres of the first two albums to give voice to a sort of carnival parade that heavily draws from the music of a few decades ago, effortlessly transitioning from tracks resembling the '70s disco à la Donna Summer ("Impossible Heart" and the remarkable "Mouth to Mouth", produced by Raphael Saadiq) to some catchy electro-swing hints ("Can't Rely On You", which boasts the production of Pharrell Williams); however, Paloma gives her best in the central part of the album, which immerses itself in the more traditional Motown sound, offering us both noteworthy ballads that seem sung by a golden-voiced singer from the past ("The Bigger You Love (The Harder You Fall)", "Love Only Leaves You Lonely", and "Only Love Can Hurt Like This", which highlight Faith's remarkable vocal talents without sacrificing them on the altar of virtuosity for its own sake) and groove-laden episodes (the energetic "Trouble with My Baby") and tributes to great soul performers like Aretha Franklin ("Take Me") and the Supremes ("Other Woman") and the younger but promising Joss Stone ("Taste my Own Tears").

Almost everything is perfect, in short, even though drawing so heavily from other performers of the past partially deprives "A Perfect Contradiction" of the uniqueness that was more felt in "Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?" and "Fall to Grace", although Paloma's interpretive grit, the passion and care with which the work is put together, and the enjoyment with which the album flows from start to finish, albeit with a fairly homogeneous average quality, partly compensate for its slightly traditional nature. In short, well-deserved promotion for Faith, from whom, however, more can be expected with the next album.

Rating: 3.5

P.S.: be sure to check out the live video of "Can't Rely On You" recorded in a kitchen, it's definitely entertaining and recommended viewing.