FORMER Fame Academy winner, Alex Parks, has been out of the limelight for a couple of years so that she could work on an album that she could truly be proud of – or so says her PR.

Hence, Honesty, from its title alone, is designed as a strikingly poignant and very personal listen that seeks to demonstrate Park’s growing maturity as both singer and songwriter.

Most of the album is self-composed although there is the odd collaboration with the likes of Marcella Detroit, Alisha’s Attic’s Karen Poole and veteran British folkstress, Judie Tzuke.

And from the opening track, Lie, there is cause for optimism, given the gutsy vocals, emotive strings and stirring backbeat that adds up to a generally satisfying whole.

But things tend to become a little too serene too soon, with Out Of Touch a softly, softly ballad whispered in a style that sounds as though it’s attempting to emulate Imogen Heap or Annie Lennox without much success.

Former single, Looking For Water, is a fairly routine slice of alt-country folk but, once again, the track meanders along very slowly without really catching fire.

It was inspired by a friend of Alex’s who ‘takes from people all the time, ‘cos they’re too fragile to give to you’ and is designed to showcase the honesty of the album’s title and its lyrics.

But while we’re on the subject of honesty, it’s best to come clean and admit that the album disappointed me as a whole because of its ponderous style.

Too few tracks really leap out and as striking as Parks’ vocals can be, they’re not really given anything to work with instrumentally.

Track listing:

1. Lie
2. Out Of Touch
3. Looking For Water
4. So Emotional
5. Lost Without A Name
6. Get Out
7. Honesty
8. Adore
9. From The Inside
10. Sweeter & Sweeter
11. Truth Or Dare
12. Moment

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