The modern musical landscape is littered with the carcasses of would-be Pop Princesses who've escaped the clutches of the 'Pop Idol' despots only to be horribly eaten up by the equally narrow-minded taste-makers of supposedly 'credible' alternative rock. I mean, do the names Mel C or Natalie Imbruglia serve as anything other than a warning to others who would attempt such a potentially precarious makeovers?
Initially, SIOBHAN DONAGHY would seem little more than equally fine cannon fodder. Let's face it: three years spent in the Sugababes would hardly impress anyone shacked up with the underground set - well apart from the latest wet behind the ears NME editor, I suppose, but that's not the point - so the idea of another 18-year old waiting to be devoured sounds pretty depressing.
But that's before you actually hear the record, which - for once - is where you get a truly pleasant surprise. OK, it helps that Siobhan has the good sense to employ producer/ musical director Cameron McVey, previously a key player in producing cool records by members of the Bristol posse such as Neneh Cherry and Portishead, but - be that as it may - it's her songs that ensure "Revolution In Me" largely stands proudly enough, rather than falling ignominiously.
Most of the album's best moments come at the start, but they're good enough to merit re-inspection. "Nothing But Song" is a cool opener and a decent pop confection, with sharp acoustic guitar, piano colouring and angelic vox from the lady herself, while "Man Without Friends" suggests Siobhan can hit her high notes with aplomb (sounding not unlike Rickie Lee Jones in places) and has a nice line in sarcastic lyrics. As if answering her critics in advance, she sings: "Haven't you heard? Baby's got a new thing and doesn't wanna be disturbed" with a more than healthy tinge of vitriol. Very nice.
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There's plenty more good gear, too. "Over-rated" we've reviewed previously as the album's trailer single and its' world-weariness remains happily intact as well as that memorable chorus featuring the word "serrated", while tunes like "Little Bits" proffers a dreamier, orchestrally-inclined affair and makes good on Siobhan's promise to delve below the frothy head on the pop milkshake.
Sure, the album tries too hard in places. Even allowing for McVey reining in some of her impetuosities, tracks like "Suasex" (very funny) try too hard to be kooked and mature and the album does in truth get a bit samey as the end looms in sight. Nevertheless, it does also feature surefire grooves like "As You Like It", where Siobhan again makes astute personal observations ("I'm feelin' misunderstood...do you think a heart is made of wood?") throughout a song which screams to be a single, and also has the balls to include a song like the mock-oriental "XY", which is at least a fascinating diversion.
Whether "Revolution In Me" will be enough to kickstart a career of real longevity is debatable at this juncture, but certainly there's enough strong material to suggest this young woman's got her head screwed on straight and will be able to safely negotiate the industry's sharpened knives for a least a while to come. And in these notorious times that's not a bad prognosis.
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