Six years on from her last studio album (1999’s excellent ‘Sylvia Hotel’), this new disc reinforces and highlights her strong songwriting skills, and the 13 songs here are full of her trademark agile guitar work and lyrics that move from being tender and heartfelt through to out and out satire.
Although the satirical songs are easily remembered (there are two on ‘Defying Gravity), it’s the emotionally intense songs that really stand out here, and this disc is a quieter affair with a more serious tone than earlier albums.
The title track is a cover of an excellent Jesse Winchester song (it’s the albums only cover, and only the third she’s ever recorded), it’s a great song that’s sandwiched between the albums best song, the bittersweet ‘Summer’s Almost Over’ and a beautiful instrumental ‘Clearwater, Florida’.
Throughout the disc her finger-style guitar work is really impressive; it’s detailed, delicate and effortlessly smooth, and is fleshed out with good use of percussion, bass and keyboards amongst the backing instrumentation.
Highlights include the tender opener, ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ a sad but ultimately upbeat song about the death of her father, and the excellent ‘Alice’ a character study of a chance meeting with Alice who worked the night desk in a hotel where Cheryl was staying.
As with all of her albums this is a strong disc that will make you think, reflect and laugh as you listen through the tracks – it’s a wonderful and fresh sounding collection by an established artist continuing who continues to release great albums.

£13.49