[9/10]
A Perfect Contradiction is the latest release by eccentric pop star Paloma Faith. It follows her hugely successful albums Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful and Fall to Grace. While Faith’s original two albums were wonderfully sombre, ‘A Perfect Contradiction’ is surprisingly upbeat.
‘Can’t Rely On You’ introduces the album, a song that was co-written and produced by the legendary Pharrell Williams. While the song features a familiar melody that is very popular in chart music at the moment, Paloma Faith brings her usual individuality to things by adding a funk twist catchy enough to remain in your mind all day. This groovy tune (groovy being the only word sassy enough to describe this) – is just the start of a rhythm-filled album.
Each song on this record tells its own romantic story, giving you a snapshot into Paloma’s life. She sings (in, may I say, the most powerful, gripping voice out there today) of a passionate sort of love in the first few tracks; ‘Mouth to Mouth’ and ‘Take Me’. The songs then deliver a more forlorn message in ‘Only Love Can Hurt like This’ and ‘Trouble with My Baby’, but maintain the cheerful, jazzy edge present through the whole album. The end tracks seem to leave a story unresolved with Its the ‘Not Knowing’ – a slower tune heavy on percussion that is full of soul, this perfectly opens the way to continue Paloma’s drama in a potential next album… (I’m already hoping).
Paloma as usual writes real, heartfelt lyrics that are easy to relate to. From love to sex to heart break, she gives us insight into her feelings on the various and complicated aspects of a relationship. In each tune she demonstrates her self-respecting attitude and teaches a lesson to those who listen carefully, a message helping herself and her readers to learn from her experiences. Permeating all the tracks is a retro-soul air which is perfect for a boogie and can be listened to in any mood.
Overall this assortment of lively, electric tracks resemble 70’s disco and funk, and is guaranteed to get you dancing. Though slightly more mainstream in instrumentals and tune than Paloma’s previous albums, she makes it all her own by adding an electro-soul twist, and her own unique booming jazz voice. A top album that can be listened to on repeat, I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone, be they already a hardcore fan of hers or someone looking for something new!
Beth Kimpton
