It's hard not to see
Sharleen Spiteri's first solo album
Melody as some kind of reaction to the success of British retro-soul divas
Amy Winehouse and
Duffy, singers who expanded upon the blend of Motown and
Dusty Sharleen sketched out with
Texas in the '90s, turning it into something a little bit sexier, something a little bit more modern.
Spiteri's response is to scale back the creeping upscale digital sheen of latter-day
Texas records and get thoroughly '60s on
Melody, crafting a full-fledged re-creation of the sound of soulful, swinging London. Strings sigh, horns glide,
Spiteri is supported by girl groups as she sings sprightly melodies that often bring to mind
Dusty at her prime, but she also cops a bit of
Nancy Sinatra's on "I'm Going to Haunt You." There may be some slight modern flair in the drum loops of the title track, but
Melody is noteworthy in its retro purity: it's a sleek yet warm tribute to classic '60s pop, sounding richer and fuller than almost anything
Texas did after turning into U.K. stars. [The CD was also released with an extra track.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine