Always

One certainly doesn’t need to be a genius to grasp Gabrielle’s lyrical output. On Always, her fifth studio album, we find the singer in the same old pickle: she will always love that special someone, but also reminds us several times how her heart has been broken, then begins to question why she’s been hurt in the first place, before more or less starting all over again. Granted, we could forgive such tiresome content if Always boasted a couple of smashing potential singles, but unfortunately we’re further disappointed by an equally stilted sound. A helping hand from none other than Paul Weller doesn’t necessarily cause sparks to fly where songwriting is concerned, as proved by ‘Why’, a musically and lyrically intelligent number that could have been so much better.
‘Love Me Like You Do’ does catch our attention, its soulful exterior sounding plucked from the ‘60s, while the rather beautiful string arrangements of ‘Closure’ underpin equally impressive female harmonising. The 37-year-old does possess a charming voice, especially when employed on material as strong as ‘Rise’ and ‘Dreams,’ but here she’s mostly mired in the unmemorable.