Polly Paulusma - 'Scissors In My Pocket' (One Little Indian) Released 26/04/04

When you hear the names Jamie Cullum and Michael Parkinson do you tremble in fear or jump for joy?  For when the press release boldly shouts out both when pushing a new act, a shiver of trepidation shot down this reviewers spine.  It was a delight and a surprise then to see that Polly Paulusma's debut album is not a new jazz for the Fifty Pound Man market.  It's just a cracking collection of sophisticated songs wrapped up in a rather scary A level art style cover.

Jaunty opener Dark Side rails against "poets with no talent" and luckily the lyrics, while undoubtedly wordy are excellent throughout.  The gentle acoustic arrangements work perfectly - stray strings and horns seem to step forward in just the right place over and over again.  I Was Made To Love You is a classic tale of soul mates.  One Day a soaring tribute to unfulfilled ambition. 

It would be easy to describe Paulusma as a new Norah Jones as she shares the same laid back delivery and it would be fair to say that fans of Jones will love this album.  For fans of songwriting everywhere I urge you to check it out.