Martina Topley Bird - The Blue God Album Review

Martina Topley-Bird,
The Blue God
Album Review

After her Mercury-nominated 2003 debut, Quixotic, expectations are high for Martina Topley-Bird's sophomore effort, The Blue God. Expectations which are bound to heighten thanks to the constant delays to its release, but fans will be pleased to know that it is well worth the wait.

There is a stylistic diversity to the Blue God which sets it apart from ninety per cent of pop music in 2007, and sees the former Tricky collaborator progress further as an artist.

Producer Danger Mouse brings his inimitable style to proceedings, but is not too overbearing; the album drifts by with a palette primarily consisting of piano, synths and guitar, with relatively simple tracks like 'Carnies' and 'Baby Blue' succeeding just by the strength of the songwriting.

Elsewhere, 'Valentine' is a neat little 60s soul homage, all reverby guitars and emotive vocals, and 'Da Da Da Da' is perhaps a little too kitschy for its own good, but still fun.

Overall, The Blue God seems to be the sound of an artist moving firmly from the shadows and becoming successful in her own right. When people hear this (when it finally hits the shops) the resounding question will undoubtedly be, 'Tricky who?'

Ben Davis