Candie Payne - I Wish I Could Have Loved You More

Brooding and beautiful; the title track of this album is a gorgeous, smooth pebble of musical delight that takes you to a place where happiness and sadness meet in a towering crescendo. The track kicks off this startling debut from the sister of a Zuton (to her credit not something she has used at all) and leads to many gems. Payne sings with a genuine feeling of heartbreak in her voice and her words reflect this. In the Morning is an optimistic soul song with a Bond soundtrack feel. A Different You is bluesy pop with a delicious edge. Sucessfully creating the fifties vibe that Emma Bunton has so often fallen short of, Payne has the chance to become very popular. If any criticism could be pointed her way, it is that some tracks are slightly too similar, with the likes of By Tomorrow slipping by in a unmemorable fashion. The album finishes with the tear-jerking Turn Back Now, and Payne's voice sails like a falcon across a cloud-filled valley. An incredible talent to balance the sound of an optimistic new sunny day with a tearful stare out a rain soaked window, Payne has a positive future ahead of her. [Sean Mcnamara]