Sarah Whatmore - Time To Think
Salford beauty Sarah Whatmore rose to fame in 2001 with her appearance and subsequent marriage proposal from judge Simon Cowell on the TV talent show Pop Idol.
Eight years later, after five years out of the limelight and having been branded by some as a reality TV casualty, she's back with her debut album Time To Think - much of which she had a hand in writing herself.
Album opener Undefined, released earlier this month, is a beautiful and infectious ballad that glides effortlessly with string arrangements and soft rock choruses reminiscent of Lucie Silvas' 2004 debut Breathe In.
Whatmore's sugar sweet voice carries the full weight of the song's emotional content while also demonstrating an impressive amount of versatility.
Smile is a funk infused masterpiece that samples Hall & Oates' pop classic Sarah Smile. With an air of sexiness to rival Donna Summer about it, the track stands out as one of the record's most experimental offerings.
Yet another mood shift comes along with the brooding Somewhere I Belong, whose sparse instrumentation and minor key create moments of eerie tension that are lifted by the singer's angelic and fragile vocals.
Title track Time To Think begins with another stark piano arrangement before bursting into a warm and consistently catchy chorus that brings one of the album's most upbeat and celebratory sounds.
A similar contrast is found in the slinky Surrender which sashays seductively between powerful choruses that show off the full breadth Whatmore's vocal ability; at times entering risky soprano territory but pulling off the highest of notes flawlessly.
Gutsy and raw in some places, fragile and tense in others; Time To Think is a varied debut that comfortably encapsulates great pop music and shows no shame in doing so. It's tasteful, innocent and has enough genuine emotion to make it one of the best 'reality' offerings to date.
Rating: 5/5
Skip To: Smile
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