Reviewed by Aleem Hossain

‘Mélange’, Varnadeau’s fourth studio album, has been spawned out of a need to reach the international audience to whom she appeals. This independent release sees the welcome return of an accomplished singer/songwriter after a bit of a silence. As the album name suggests, this recording from the Nashville-based singer is a hodgepodge of songs: six new tracks, three songs in French and “The Perfect Sky” written for the forthcoming movie Dreamer, The Movie. From the tight groove of “Hold Me Tight” to the edgy grit of “Why Would You Go Back” and the intensity of “I See You” to the bouncy pop of “Le Tour De Toi”, Varnadeau weaves together a variety of styles to create a beautiful patchwork of sounds. Varnadeau’s voice is vulnerable yet assured; enchanting yet intense; haunting yet passionate. It would be unfair to pigeonhole this album by drawing comparisons with other female singer/songwriters; to do so would be to deny Varnadeau’s idiomatic vocal tone. Overall, a very enjoyable project.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.

This track data is supplied by the Cross Rhythms CD/DVD review library. Please note that CD tracks may vary according to release region or product version.