Nicky Holland - Nicky Holland

Nicky Holland came to attention as a pianist on Tears for Fears' "The Seeds of Love" album, as well as having several writing credits. Her solo album is a few steps down in grandeur if you expecting the lush, colourful arrangements of Tears for Fears. It's resolutely middle of the road, thirty-something coffee-table pop. Her voice and style of vocal harmony is mildly reminiscent of Sadé, but the basic sound doesn't vary much from piano-based ballads with poppy polish. The instrumental "Prelude" is the only indication of something more musically meaty. This merges slinkily into the strongest song here, "Ladykiller", its slick production and horn stabs carrying a confidently good tune. But the album loses its inspiration as it continues, with ballad after ballad of bland urban melancholy.

May 3, 2004

4 out of 10

see also...

• Tears For Fears - The Seeds Of Love

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