ALBUMS OF THE WEEK

Soda Blonde Small Talk

Velveteen Records, out July 9 ★★★★★

Soda Blonde are surely sick to the teeth of statements proclaiming the fact that they are Little

Green Cars minus one (former co-lead singer Stevie Appleby). But a clutch of classy singles Swimming Through The Night and Terrible Hands among them which preceded this debut album has put clear water between them and that previous outfit. Faye O’Rourke fronts an unashamedly poppier sounding band but there is nothing lightweight about lyrics such as ‘I don’t know if I love you and it kills me’ (Champion Of My Time) or ‘be the thorn in my side to remind me that love is pain’ (Love Me World). Holy Roses deals with the loosening of the grip of the Catholic church on Irish society as well as O’Rourke reflecting on people who have had a destructive impact on her in the past. It’s a hugely impressive song and typifies the work of a band whose own identity has come sharply into focus.

Laura Mvula Pink Noise

Atlantic, out July 2 ★★★★★

The Birmingham soul singer’s third album comes at a career crossroads having been dropped by Sony and picked up by Warner’s Atlantic operation. The classically trained instrumentalist with a multi-octave vocal range has the versatility to prove her doubters wrong. ‘I’ve been doing the best I can’ she sings on Conditional but she frequently tries too hard. Songs such as Safe Passage and Remedy with their strident vocals (a recurring feature), uncluttered synth lines and swaggering groove demand attention, but don’t ultimately earn affection. The neo-soul Church Girl is much more likeable as is What Matters, a duet with Simon Neill of Biffy Clyro, although now labelmates, he’s a surprising duet partner.

The fact that it is a schmaltzy MOR ballad is a further confounding of expectations. As a showcase of Mvula’s talents, Pink Noise is sleekly presented but feels like an explanation at length.