A Fool in Love
Dramatico***
Signed to Mike Batt's Dramatico label (home to Katie Melua and Carla Bruni), the 20-year-old Londoner initially auditioned for Batt back when she was 13, but was told to finish her education before plunging herself into the mad, bad music industry.
Rawlings has a superb voice, lying somewhere between Duffy and Gladys Knight, and she draws inspiration from the Motown end of the musical spectrum. She displays a sassy approach on Wouldn't Treat a Dog("I wouldn't treat a dog, the way you treated me") and The Only Woman in the World, underpinned by a radio-friendly uptempo music backing. The deeper you delve into this impressive debut album, the more you realise just how good her vocals are, best showcased on the mid-tempo Love Is a Battlefield. With the right exposure, A Fool in Lovecould do serious damage on the charts. You'll be hearing a lot more from Florence Rawlings this year.
Download tracks: The Only Woman in the World, Love Is a Battlefield