N.B. ~ Natasha Bedingfield
Ah Natasha, how I’ve longed for your return. Her debut surprised me with its goodness and turned out to be one of my fav albums of 2004, so I was eagerly awaiting her follow-up.
Never one to play things safe, “N.B.” (fantastically clever name, by the way) is a bit of a mixed bag, much like the first. Like Pink, her style is still very fluid, mixing up rock, hip-hop and 80s electronic but she remains more or less true to pop throughout.
She seems to delight in being different with her sound and almost goes out of her way to create a sort of harmonic or rhythmic dissonance on certain tracks (the opener, with its “against the rhythm” drum beat, for example). It’s nothing if not refreshing. Sadly, she still hasn’t lost her penchant for daft lyrics. :P
Her voice can still sound a lil strained at times (even bordering on screechy in some places, as she struggles to reach those high notes), but she keeps it in check for the most part. What works in her favour is that her voice is deceptively emotive and does a great job of making the lyrics resonate.
Few of the tracks are as instantly likeable as those on “Unwritten”, and overall, the album probably isn’t as strong or coherent as her first. That said there are some cracking tunes on offer and I can tell that the album is definitely a grower. What I’ve always found interesting and unique about Natasha is her ability to surprise and take a song where you least expect it.
For those brave and bold enough to take the risk, “N.B.” is a distinctly different and thoroughly enjoyable listen.
Standout Tracks:
- How Do You Do?
- Soulmate
- Who Knows
- Pirate Bones
- Backyard
- (No More) What Ifs
- Not Givin’ Up
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