British singer Stephanie Kirkham was working in her mother's flower shop when she was persuaded by a client to join an open stage. After sending an a capella recorded cassette tape, she was signed by the Hut label. Musically, Kirkham is also a flower child, performing poetic songs with a sweet voice, devoid of any form of effect. When she sings with herself, as in the moving ballad When You Were
… Here, she sounds like a complete choir of angels on her own. Her voice brings back memories of songbirds like Harriet Wheeler (The Sundays), Dolores O'Riordan (The Cranberries) and Kirsty MacColl; with a little good will, her folky pop songs could be compared to those of Dido, but without the modern drum beats. Only on the Blank White Sheet valve do the production tricks get the upper hand. Kirkham's music does not try to connect in any way with prevailing trends. Timeless pop, how often do you still hear that? (MS)more
