Dim: Paloma Faith - Fall To Grace

Discussing the song '30 Minute Love Affair' on her new album, Paloma Faith admitted that it was based on a fleeting moment with a homeless London busker when she was a teen. It's this kind of quirkiness that has so far divided public opinion on the singer, leading to some labelling 2009's Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? nothing more than another contrived '60s throwback-soul record.
There's no such worry on Fall To Grace which, at times, feels astonishingly honest. A shining example is lead single 'Picking Up The Pieces', an epic song about relationship neuroses that feels worthy of its own Adele moment. Producer Nellee Hooper (Madonna, Bjork) and Jake Gosling (Ed Sheeran) remain at the helm throughout, creating sumptuous melodies on ballads 'Black & Blue' and 'Just Be' that are packed to the brim with old glamour. Countering the slower moments are smoky disco numbers 'Blood Sweat & Tears' and '30 Minute Love Affair', the latter a Cyndi Lauper-meets-Drive number whose hooks dig much deeper than you'd expect. She escapes depressing us with her constant tales of relationship woes on the chorus of 'Freedom' which, despite the subject matter, has a wonderful gospel-like quality. Faith's co-writers Eg White, Toby Gad and Dan Wilson may be responsible for some of the biggest songs in recent memory ('Someone Like You' and 'Leave Right Now' to name a few), but even they manage to turn out the occasional misfire in 'Beauty of the Gone' and by-numbers ballad 'When You're Gone'. That said, they're up against some seriously stellar competition - and while her collaborators may have an ear for a chorus, there's no question that Fall To Grace is unmistakably 'Paloma'.

Based On Critics - 34/50

Based On Public - 13/50

Based On Hype - 18/50

Based On Pop Flares - 32/50

Overall: