Album Review: Melanie Fiona "The Bridge"

My review of the very talented Melanie Fiona's debut album The Bridge has almost had as many delays as, well, the album itself, but nonetheless, both are finally here! Melanie initially dropped The Bridge's opener "Give It To Me Right" as her first single to a lukewarm response before more recently releasing "It Kills Me" as the album's second single. The song is racing up the R&B charts, so it may just be that her album actually came out at the right time! Of course, when is it really the wrong time for an album like this?

The soulful "Give It To Me Right" definitely gives you an idea of what you're getting yourself into with The Bridge. The tempo is given a bit of a boost with "Bang Bang," an exciting & catchy tune. A groovy version of "Monday Morning" is presented next, & if you take into account the gorgeous slow jam Melanie occasionally turns the song into when she does it live, this is one of the album's highlights. An especially throwback vibe comes into play with "Please Don't Go (Cry Baby)," another enjoyable track. Then, another one of my personal favorites can be found in the chanty "Ay Yo."

The Bridge continues with the solid "Walk On By" before (thankfully) slowing it down just a bit on "You Stop My Heart," a nice vocal showcase. Melanie dips back into some throwback uptempo with the cool "Johnny." She then brings a tropical beat to the slow jam "Sad Songs," the result of which is quite successful. Another enjoyable track on the slower side, "Priceless," leads into the downright ballad "It Kills Me." I have to admit that this is probably my favorite song on the album, mainly due to the incredible vocals demonstrated that represent the best example on The Bridge of the outstanding chops Melanie has that set her apart from the crowd. Also impressive is the closer "Teach Him." The track is a laid back one, making room for Melanie's beautiful vocals to take the spotlight.

Melanie Fiona's style & vocal abilities are displayed well on her debut album The Bridge. Her uptempo numbers are good & plentiful, but although her ballads are very strong, I kinda wish there were more of them. Also, while I enjoy the throwback vibe of The Bridge, it's not something I listen to on a regular basis, so that put me off a little. With that said however, it's nice to have a new artist who can sing really singing with such soul, making The Bridge a keeper.

Rating: 4/5 Stars