natashabedingfield-nb music reviews Virgin Media
The more attractive of the Bedingfield siblings returns to the music scene – but can she compete in a market flooded with feisty females?
First time around, Natasha Bedingfield managed to stand out from her peers due to the relative dearth of decent female singer-songwriters in the charts. Since her heyday, however, the likes of Lily Allen, Jamelia and Robyn have built on her strong, soulful summery songs formula and more than hogged the limelight, adding an extra element of intangible "cool" that Bedingfield somehow always lacked. Now Bedingfield is back with a new album, roping in Eve and a host of hot R&B producers like Rich Harrison to add an edge to her music. This new album is the fruit of the labour - is it any cop?
Regrettably, Bedingfield still resorts to trading lyrically in clichés - particularly on forthright stomper How Do You Do and the slightly terrifying I Wanna Have Your Babies (steady on, Natasha). Too often, the songs rely on "is it wrong to be the instigator/is it bad to be the movemaker" Girl Power-alike sentiments that would have had listeners even two generations above her target audience scratching their heads and saying "er, no". Musically, cues are taken from the usual suspects - Dallas Austin and Timbaland productions, smooth soul and R&B, et al. Glossy beats, sleek chords, wistful balladry, chunky basslines - listenable enough when it goes right and complements her distinctive and undeniably strong voice, like on the pleasant guitar-led summer tune Say It Again, but when it goes wrong, actually slightly redolent of B*Witched (shudder).
