Examiner CD reviews: The Enemy are clearly in love.

Jul 6 2009 by Andrew Hirst, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

THE ENEMY: Sing When You’re In Love. Widescreen homage to the intensity of new found love with a chorus that’s out to get you – and it does. It also captures the sensation it’s out to grab.

SHINEDOWN: Second Chance. Soaring festival wannabee that just may be a could be. Builds to an all-engulfing deluge – several times.

ROB THOMAS: Her Diamonds. The Matchbox Twenty frontman has concocted a semi-folk chug with this spot of lyrical introspection. The diamonds are tears. How quaint. How clever.

LISA HANNIGAN: I Don’t Know. The Irish singer performed on the acoustic stage at Glastonbury and won the festival-goers over with her deft touch of ethereal simplicity and clarity.

HEADS HEARTS: Qualified. Stripped down electro funk with mutant vocals that begs to be clothed. Think along the lines of David Bowie’s Scary Monsters.

THE RUMBLE STRIPS: Not The Only Person. Shout-it-out strut with a chorus reaching out for Phil Spectorish attention. Singer Charlie Waller says the words “you're not the only person to get it wrong’’ are aimed at two muggers who attacked him and his wife, but fled when Mrs Waller turned on them.

ALI CAMPBELL: Out From Under. A gentle fusion of oh-so-soft reggae and soul set on a foundation of strings.

MARK READ: Peace At Last. He was in chart-topping boy band A1, but you wouldn’t know it from this debut solo album that’s wider ranging than a cowboy out on, well, the range. Something of a pop fantasia that draws its influences from the likes of ELO, Queen and David Bowie, but with all songs at least co-penned by Mark, it shows a growing songwriting maturity that hits a peak with the string-chugging Lie To You, the acoustic ballad Cold and the phenomenal Fallen From Grace that’s simply stunning. He’s hit something of a peak there. Some fall somewhat short, but with 14 tracks to go at, he’s out to showcase exactly what he can do here.

VANESSA WILLIAMS: The Real Thing. This is her 13th album and it’s a candlelit late-night soul, jazz and soft latin affair and as far as its possible to get from her actress role as power-hungry Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty. Turn the lights down low time. Actually, don’t even bother with them. Cooler than an iceberg.