Little Voice

iTunes Review

Little Voice (the self-assured 2007 Sara Bareilles album) has just about zero in common with Little Voice (the sentimental 1998 Michael Caine film). There’s nothing diminutive about this Northern California-born singer/songwriter’s talent or ambition. On this, her major label debut, Bareilles sings with great poise and fluidity, embroidering her vocals with bluesy slurs and jazzy tics without losing her essential pop clarity. Her lyrics sparkle with personality and her affection for melody is displayed especially well in such bouncy tracks as “Love on the Rocks,” “Fairytale” and “Bottle It Up.” Bareilles invites comparisons with Fiona Apple on the jittery “Vegas” and Sarah McLachlan on the melancholy “Gravity.” What’s distinctive about her persona, though, is the resiliency and lust for life she projects — even when grappling with the mysteries of attraction in songs like “Come Round Soon” or “Morningside,” the strength of her inner spirit is evident. Touches of piano-lounge balladry and hip-hop bring added character to the album’s mainstream pop/rock base. On Little Voice, Bareilles succeeds on just about every level — and that’s no small feat.