JOAN ARMATRADING: Not Too Far Away (BMG)

THE Birmingham-raised singersongwriter remains the queen of anguish on her first release for a new label. ‘This pain is what you gave, but it’s making me strong,’ she sings on No More Pain, backing her rich vocals with piano and strings. It’s not all downbeat, either, with Cover My Eyes a breezy Caribbean number and her punchy guitar work an ongoing treat. It’s 46 years since her first album but, as her inventive arrangements testify, Joan Armatrading is still willing to try something fresh. ★★★✩✩