STACEY KENT

STACEY KENT
CLOSE YOUR EYES (1997)
320 KBPS

Her instrument is girlish but strong, plaintive but warm. It's the kind of voice you'd like to get to know better. With a great selection of standards, a tasty quintet of British sidemen, and a voice to stimulate daydreams, Stacey Kent turns in one of the finest vocal debuts in years. She's got that certain intangible that separates Nat "King" Cole from brother Freddy and Frank Sinatra from Frank Jr. That's not to say Kent is in league with the legends but she's got some of the important ingredients: namely, style and swing (not to mention perfect pitch). Listen to her timing on the uptempo numbers such as "I'm Old Fashioned" or "It's Delovely." Check out her unadorned honesty on a ballad ("You Go to My Head"). She's in complete and delightful control and the listener is in for an enchanting spell.

1. More Than You Know
2. Dream Dancing
3. Close Your Eyes
4. There's A Lull In My Life
5. Its Delovely
6. There's No You
7. I'm Old Fashioned
8. You Go To My Head
9. Little White Lies
10. Sleep Warm
11. Day In - Day Out