Rating: NNNN
Lizz Wright has been putting out solo albums since 2001, and her success is well founded – her voice is impeccable. On her third release on Universal subsidiary Verve, Wright has wisely taken more creative control, co-penning eight of the 12 songs. A strong yet capricious singer, she defies easy categorization as her sound moves easily between soul, country and more pop-driven R&B.
Deep, throaty ballads like Coming Home and When I Fall are a moody contrast to the taunt and tease of Leave Me Standing Alone and the album’s surefire hit, My Heart. Wright’s cover of the classic Strange may recall the smoky haunt of Patsy Cline, but this pared-down, jazzier rendition takes the song in gentler directions.
