Maddy Hay : Tell Me A Story

Hay does this well; the lady can sing. She's had a lot of press from overseas expressing disbelief that someone so young - Hay is 23 this year - can sing with this kind of maturity, and people are right to be impressed. Hay does her thing like the ablest of chanteuses, vamping slow and smokey on soulful joints like Where is The Night and wistfully playful on more upbeat guitar pop numbers. Every so often she's show off her jazz chops with little scat breakdown, which shows off her skills without being obnoxious.

The big problem with treading the jazz/pop road is that it's been done before. Hay, in the hands of producer Jonathan Zion, doesn't really break any new ground, and takes her cues from the dozens of local singers who have been down this road. While I was listening to Tell Me A Story, both of my housemates came in independently to ask me if this was Sarah Blasko's new album and could they borrow it. That's not necessary a bad thing. Hay's got big shoes to fill, and she does it with aplomb. There's a lot to love about this record.

Best Track: I'm On A Plane

If You Like These, You'll Like This: RESCUE SHIPS, ALANA STONE, SARAH BLASKO, HOLLY THROSBY

In A Word: Jazzhands