Featured CD Review: Eliza Doolittle: Self-Titled

March 16, 2011

Eliza Doolittle: Self-Titled - Buy from Amazon: Digital Download or CD

I very rarely get a chance to review any music for this site, and when I do, it usually has some connection to movies (like the James Bond compilation or actors who break into musical careers like Emmy Rossum or Scarlett Johansson). Because music is outside of the normal scope of The Numbers, I generally pass when offered a chance to review a CD. However, Eliza Doolittle's self-titled debut arrived via e-mail the day I first heard her cover of Cee-Lo's song and since I loved that song, I had to listen to the full CD. Sadly, that song isn't included here, but what are the songs on the CD like?

The Songs

  1. Moneybox
  2. Rollerblades
  3. Go Home
  4. Skinny Genes
  5. Mr Medicine
  6. Missing
  7. Back To Front
  8. A Smokey Room
  9. So High
  10. Nobody
  11. Pack Up
  12. Police Car
  13. Empty Hand
I've heard this music described as modern-retro-folk. I'm not even sure what that means. I can tell there are a lot of rather diverse influences on her work, including but not limited to Jazz, Soul, Doo-Wop, Ska, with a very Pop feel to it, but in a good way. The end result is music with some heart, but that's also catchy, energetic and just plain fun. The lyrics have more to them than some catchy tunes at first lead you to think. For instance, "Moneybox" deals with consumerism while the cheeky "Skinny Genes" is about, as she said in an interview, being in a relationship with someone who you hate everything about, except their talent in bed. She deals with the serious and racy in a way that stays playful enough so that when in the middle of "Pack Up" she starts Tweeting, you just can't help but go along with it.

(It's like when she was writing the lyrics she wanted to start whistling and wrote "tweet" as a shorthand and just went with it.)

While there are numerous energetic songs, the pace slows down a few times with songs like "So High", "Police Car", and "Empty Hand". I prefer the higher energy songs, but that is a matter of taste, and these songs show that she has impressive command of a number of styles. And no matter the tempo, the songs showcase her singing prowess throughout.

And now, here's a video I haven't seen.

The reason I haven't seen it, is because I'm Canadian and it's blocked in my location. I can't even confirm if it's an Eliza Doolittle video, but it's the link that was sent to me with the album.

The Verdict

Eliza Doolittle's self-titled debut album was released last summer in her native U.K., where it became quite a hit spawning five singles so far. It comes out on a Digital Download this Tuesday and on CD next month. Is it worth picking up? Absolutely. Since I got it two weeks ago, it's been the only CD I've listened to, and I listen to music nearly constantly (including when I'm asleep). In that time, I've probably listened to the complete album more than 100 times, and I still love it. When I finish this review, most of the songs will be put into heavy rotation on my MP3 playlist.


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