|
This
time last year we were talking about the slow burn that had been
Maroon 5. Big in the States they finally crossed over in the UK.
Songs About Jane was re-released and the rest is history.
In 2005 we'll strongly predict the same thing happening
to Jem. While Britain was lauding the emergence of Joss Stone and
Amy Winehouse, Welsh born Jemma Griffiths was knocking them dead
in the States.
Finally Woken is fast approaching a quarter of
a million sales over there. She's appeared on the O.C. and her tracks
have been used in the film Closer and hip telly series Desperate
Housewives.
You can already get Finally Woken over here if
you search the record shops. Come Easter when it gets a big release
you'll want it far more than one of those cream eggs.
By that time radio will have been drenched in "They"
a killer opening cut and lead off single. It's Jem at her peak -
Dido with a classy back beat. Even the once radical Mark Radcliffe
has been playing it on Radio 2.
But there's plenty more of that standard on Finally
Woken, the title track for a start and the reggae tinged Save Me.
If there's a danger then this could easily be bracketed
dinner party music. But as Jem's already proved it's also perfect
fare for the television.
The future's bright, the future's Jem's. Best female
artist at next year's Brits? Probably - as long as Kate Bush doesn't
bring out an album!
i-Pod: They
Label: ATO/BMG
Rating: 4/5
|
