Little Girl

Jasy Andrews has all the traits of a capable singer/songwriter who would draw comparisons to artists like Natalie Merchant and Jewel, particularly with the light, breezy opener "Keep It Up," which unfortunately sells itself about a minute or half-minute short. There are other piano-driven gems that bring to mind Sarah McLachlan or a melancholic Dixie Chicks with the somber but gorgeous "I'll Do That Much" with its layered harmonies. But not everything comes up roses as a jazzy, somewhat finger-snapping "Who Was Wrong" sounds, well, wrong and out of place so soon in the sequencing. Andrews often hits more than misses, especially when playing to her strengths as she does during the tender ballad entitled "Free" with just her voice and her fingers striking the piano keys. The choice of covers is quite odd, however, as she gives a sappy rendition of Bon Jovi's "I'll Be There for You" or the ensuing, melancholic lullaby that follows in "His Song." Another cover, this time "Private Dancer," has a better fate. The singer possesses a very sweet voice, but it is nothing that jumps out at the listener. And too often the songs resort to an extremely cozy but quite safe blueprint, with her vocals supported by melancholic piano playing as it is on "I Should Have." Disc two is basically more of the same, with no really aberration and "Slide Show" eerily similar to the arrangement of "Keep It Up." Perhaps if the album were a single disc of 14 or 15 songs, Andrews would have a better outcome. That's not to say there aren't pretty songs such as the music box dancer vibe from the title track and another jewel entitled "When It Comes to You," but Andrews pillages this domain too often on too many numbers. One surprise is how she nails her reworking of "Patience" by Guns N' Roses. It's an album that is very precious, but at 18 songs, is just a bit much given the rather melancholic slant so many of these songs possess.