A Fine Frenzy - 'Almost Lover'
Newcomer Alison Sudol’s moniker A Fine Frenzy suggests all manner of wild, possibly libidinous, activities. Unfortunately, single ‘Almost Lover’ from her debut album ‘One Cell In The Sea’ could not be more run of the mill, more than that, it screams ‘easy listening’.
To be fair, Sudol has a pleasant enough voice that fits well with the uncomplicated piano-driven arrangement of the song, her delivery of a lyric about a relationship that didn’t quite work out lending an appropriately wistful sense of missed opportunity. The problem is that ‘Almost Lover’ lacks any real depth, sounding like the countless other disposable pop ballads about failed romance that seem to dominate commercial radio.
At just 22, Sudal has drawn the attention of some impressive patrons, Rufus Wainwright and KT Tunstall, suggesting that there is more to her talent than a listen to ‘Almost Lover’ might suggest. One can only hope that any future work is a bit more frenzied and a bit less derivative.