"Fires"

I don't generally suggest musical choices to other people, because my tastes are either too esoteric (New Age and movie scores) or just plain silly (dance music). But I found an album recently I just had to review.

Listening to British Top 40 radio on the internet a while back, I heard a song called "Everbody's Gone to War" by Nerina Pallot (pronounced to rhyme with fallow). The tune might be framed as an anti-war song, but it's so vague it's just as likely about this woman's life rather than Iraq. (Perhaps if I were to watch the video, I'd understand more.) And it's painfully catchy, as a pop song should be. How can you not like a song with the lyric "If love is a drug, I guess we're all sober"?

I tracked down the album, "Fires", which is unfortunately not available domestically. But I ran across it at a Tower Records with that "Import" sticker that means you're going to paying a premium to buy the disc.

It was worth it. Some of the tracks are bouncy pop tunes like "War". Others are Fiona Apple-esque downtempo numbers. Pallot seems to have quite a vocal range, sometime singing high and clear, sometimes throaty and smoky.

I hope she manages to develop a following over here across the pond.