Laura Marling
Once I Was An Eagle
Lianne La Havas is a rising star – perhaps rising too fast.
The young South Londoner came to wider attention towards the end of last year with an eye-catching turn on BBC2's Later, and now just a couple of EPs down the line she's here with a debut album that's aiming straight for the stratosphere.
It's a terribly mature collection of folk, jazz and somewhat avant-garde pop that transcends La Havas's tender years, but is perhaps too keen to play the 'tasteful' card. That's always a risk when folk comes up against jazz, with a fledgling star being pushed to great things, although Is Your Love Big Enough? is never boring.
Credit there goes to La Havas's voice, a smoky, versatile wonder that you'd go and live in given half a chance. She's absolutely compelling on opener Don't Wake Me Up, over dusty drums and jazzy guitar, and throughout the 70s folk of Everything Everything – it's nice to hear the voice crack too, on the sad and soulful Gone.
For the most part though we're in polite territory and thankful for the moments when La Havas lets rip, on the skittery trip hop of Forget, say, or as she hits angelic heights on Au Cinema. When she flicks off that safety catch she'll be an awesome proposition.
