An accusation often levelled at artists with technical ability is that they have no soul. Well, Beth Rowley has soul, and she has technical ability in the sense that she can sing in tune and is capable of writing songs of a decent standard. Yet there’s something about Little Dreamer, the 26-year-old Peruvian-born, Bristol-bred singer’s debut, that just doesn’t add up.
It might seem presumptuous to suggest that Rowley automatically fits snugly into a niche occupied by similar Brit-fop artists like Tom Baxter, Corinne Bailey-Rae and David Gray, but it’s true. This is easily classifiable music, flooded with so many jazz-tinged ballads, soulful narratives and innocuous lounge-pop numbers that it’s like Norah Jones never went away.
However, most surprising, and perhaps disappointing, is the fact that only five of the 11 tracks here are original compositions. The remainder – taking in everything from a dreadful reggae-lite cover of ‘I Shall Be Released’ to a hymn-like duet with Duke Special on Willie Nelson’s ‘Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground’ – is almost too anaemic to form an opinion on.
It’s a shame, really, because the best track here – the blue-eyed soul of ‘Oh My Life’ – intimates what could have been had Rowley assumed complete control of the reins. Little Dreamer is perfectly acceptable if you like your songs sultry, samey, sporadically soulful and suited to Jools Holland‘s Later. If you don’t, best give this one a miss.

Key Track: ‘Oh My Life’