Halie Loren
Full Circle
White Moon Productions

Halie Loren is very young, but her talent is already evident on this debut. She has the skill to pen soulful songs and plays the piano beautifully. Traces of other singers can be detected in her delivery, mostly Tori Amos, but she's her own woman.

"Alone" captures solitude well and is a nicely restrained piano and vocal performance. The lone cover is of Joni Mitchell's "River" and it's respectful and wonderfully sung. "Kitty" is a startling, jazzy song that shows the singer's darker side. She addresses rivalry between women in a compelling way. The title track's dark ruminations on relationships is also strong. "Numb" is loose and groovy even as the words are sad.

Loren's a real find and her album is a stunning record.

Copyright © 2006 Anna Maria Stjärnell