Siobhan Donaghy - Revolution in Me (2003)

Siobhan Donaghy is an oddity in the music world today. Most young stars in their early 20s (Siobhan is 23) are off boozing and flashing their rude bits at the paparazzi - there's no sincerity in the music they make. It's not something you can define, but Siobhan is a genuine artist - you need only to listen to her music to hear the detail and dedication that goes into it. Plus her music deals with deeper subject matter than getting down on the dance floor. Nothing wrong with songs about getting down on the dance floor, but sometimes you need a little something of substance, too.

Siobhan Donaghy's first solo album after leaving the Sugababes, Revolution In Me is a solid, refreshing debut. 'Nothing But Song' is a bluesy opening number with excellent production and instrumentation that sets the tone for the rest of the album. 'Man Without Friends' keeps the blues vibe going with some twangy guitars, great melody, and heavy beat. 'Overrated', the first single from the album, is an angsty, guitar-based mid-tempo rocker with some neat, flippant lyrics ('Well, I don't know, do you?').

The dark, downtempo 'Little Bits' comes next, and so far is the best of a great bunch of songs. A lovely melody and deep bass give this song something special. The album goes from great track to great track - 'As You Like It' and its killer chorus is bound to get stuck in your head. The catchy 'XY' wonders why we can't all just get along amidst hip-hop-lite production. 'Suasex' begins with some reversed dialogue and it all sounds rather wonderfully strange - a forerunner of the sound of Ghosts.

Second single 'Twist of Fate' is a classic low-key pop/rock tune, followed by the reggae-tinged 'Faces.' 'Dialect' has some nifty bass and guitars going on, and then when you add Siobhan's expressive vocals, you've got yourself one cool song. After that heavy, almost industrial song, comes 'Revolution in Me.' Lovely strings and atmospheric production details give this song a dreamy feel. Jangling guitars and lyrics mentioning paradoxes and turkeys close the album in 'Iodine.' I imagine that this would be a great sing-along song at a live performance - the song has a great chorus and lots of energy.

The only bad thing about this album and Ghosts is that they're so good, you want more - but Siobhan is currently on tour as Mimi in Rent, so no new Shiv tunes for awhile. If you're wondering why I'm waxing rhapsodic about Siobhan, do yourself a favor and check out some of her music. Revolution In Me is a good place to start. :)

Revolution in Me (2003) (192kb/s)
1. Nothing But Song
2. Man Without Friends
3. Overrated
4. Little Bits
5. As You Like It
6. XY
7. Suasex
8. Twist Of Fate
9. Faces
10. Dialect
11. Revolution Me
12. Iodine
Here!

Enjoy! Cheery bye, Scarlett

Siobhan Donaghy - Revolution in Me (2003)