29 Nights

Another new female singer with a traditional outlook, Leigh joins Alison Moorer and Lee Ann Womack in the Decca/MCA stable.

However, at odds with many recent signings Leigh has also retained a traditional image. When so many of the current crop have been remoulded in the McCready/Twain vision - one which reasons that the more "pop" the look, the greater the crossover appeal - Danni Leigh has more in common with Heather Myles than the aforementioned babes.

So Leigh has the looks and the visual language, but what about the music? As with most new artists signed to a major label, whatever writing talent she might have is somewhat difficult to define, as all her cuts are co-writes. But given these co-writers include people of the calibre of Monte Warden, it's clear that Leigh is already highly regarded by her peers.

Aside from the songs, the focal point here is Leigh's vocal ability, and while, at this stage, she is not yet up there with either Sara Evans or Heather Myles, she's still way ahead of many of her contemporaries.

Add to that a production from Michael Knox and Mark Wright that combines steel and fiddle traditionalism with a rhythm section sound that is very much of today, and you have something approaching the best of both worlds. It also helps that 29 Nights features one of my favourite players (and producers) in guitarist Richard Bennett.

This is an enjoyable album with its heart in the right