Anne McCue - Koala Motel

Described by her record company as an "extraordinary leap made by an already impressive talent", Anne McCue's second album sees her insightful lyrics and homely country mismatched with sleazy soft rock and drab mid-tempo weariness. While her words are always sincere and revealing, the 1970s' stylings do little to elucidate her passion.

When the music allows her vocal intensity to dominate - as on the sinister Jesus' Blood or devotional Coming to You - McCue emerges as a reflective and poignant song-writer, and her acoustic guitar provides sensitive accompaniment. However, the push to a more accessible sound often swamps her uniqueness and replaces intimacy with radio-friendly blandness.

Opening track Driving Down to Alvarado and Any Minute Now are especially guilty: failing to capture the hysteria behind her thoughts on love and loss, they lack personality or intensity - a chorus proclaiming that "the world will end" deserves a guitar line less controlled and impersonal. Rather than an extraordinary leap, this is a conservative album made by a skilful artist. [Gareth K Vile]