Hollandic vintage singing sensation Caro Emerald returns with a preview of her upcoming new album The Shocking Miss Emerald. Tangled Up opens with oh-so-continental accordions, and like a sequel to Back It Up - the word "up" is not the only similarity here - it's a mix of retro jazz with a modern twist that made her debut album Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor such an unexpected winner. The formula has worn thin here; the record scratches a la Back It Up's "do it again" breakdown sound suddenly dated, and the shakin'/quakin' rhyme reappears.
Most peculiarly of all, she seems to have adopted a more Anglicised vocal, with stiff annunciation that spoils the smooth flow of the song. Perhaps it's a nod to her success in Great Britain, as her first album went platinum here. Either way, Sophie Ellis-Bextor ought to fear for her cut-glass crown. Whilst there's nothing at all Shocking about Emerald's comeback, her second set is likely to be the soundtrack to many a dinner party in 2013.
Most peculiarly of all, she seems to have adopted a more Anglicised vocal, with stiff annunciation that spoils the smooth flow of the song. Perhaps it's a nod to her success in Great Britain, as her first album went platinum here. Either way, Sophie Ellis-Bextor ought to fear for her cut-glass crown. Whilst there's nothing at all Shocking about Emerald's comeback, her second set is likely to be the soundtrack to many a dinner party in 2013.
