It Might Like You - Julia Marcell

I have to admit to a slight bias here. Female singer-songwriters backed by the piano are certainly good in my book. But in a way it means that Julia Marcell has quite a mountain to climb with me before she's begun. In the shadow of the likes of Fiona Apple and Nerina Pallot, to name just two, something has to be pretty good indeed to stand out to me.

When it works, It Might Like You is indeed pretty damn good.

Tracks like the spiraling Words Won't Save You, the quirky and stuttering Carousel and the charming Fear Of Flying are catchy and just a little different from the generic songs record companies tell you are brilliant but actually fail to excite. Not all of it matches the high standard of those three, but there are no real out and out stinkers that force you to press skip track (at least on the first listen through).

Not to everyone's tastes (but, then again, what is) but fans of the aforementioned females, and those of the likes of Regina Spektor to boot, will find plenty to enjoy here.