It may well be true as The Guardian suggested recently that Dido has, like David Gray, been unfairly judged more for the audience she attracts than for her music. But with her English Rose looks, radio-friendly songs and perfect vocal enunciation, it’s hard to get away from the fact that Ms Armstrong too often comes across as the soundtrack of choice for posh single women of a certain age – the aural equivalent of Bridget Jones’ Diary.
If that’s the case, she’s hit the nail squarely on the head with her sophomore album. If you are one of the 12 million who snapped up her debut, No Angel, then look no further – you should be more than happy with Life For Rent, which is essentially more of the same, as the opening track and current single ‘White Flag’ clearly demonstrates. Not that it isn’t a great song – like the hits ‘Thank You’ and ‘Here With Me’ from her debut, it is irresistibly catchy and instantly memorable and will undoubtedly be played on the radio forever.
Once again collaborating closely with her big brother Rollo Armstrong in the songwriting department, much of the rest of Life For Rent covers similar territory, with the now familiar mild trip-hop rhythms, low-key acoustic guitar and strings adorning Dido’s pitch-perfect vocals. A couple of tracks stand out from the crowd, including the title track – a perfect pop song if ever there was one and the utterly gorgeous, ‘This Land Is Mine’ – surely a future single. It’s just a shame that the predictable backdrop renders these gems less momentum. Maybe it’s time to call in Mr. Mathers again!