In the footsteps of Norah Jones and other new jazz-blues artists comes Katie Melua. Like Norah, she's pretty with those large dark eyes and dark hair. Melua's voice though is of a more girlish and sugary Karin Peris of Innocence Mission-ish tone instead of the crystal clear calmness of Ms. Jones. Melua, who also plays guitar, has Mike Batt as producer, writer of six songs, pianist, and organist on her debut album, Call Off The Search and uses more lush strings on her songs than Jones. For someone looking for something soothing and mellow, check her out.

Indeed, the slow melodic piano, violin, and orchestra on the title track veers more towards the jazz/easy listening side. The title has to do with now that she's found that one, to call off the search. The John Mayall-penned "Crawling Up A Hill" is more on the bluesy side, with jazzy piano arrangements that may be at home on an early Sting solo album, and bewails the tedium of a boring job, where she feels like "my life is like a slow train crawling up a hill."

"How can happiness feel so wrong? How can misery feel so sweet?" sings Katie on the melodic jewel ballad of this crown, "The Closest Thing To Crazy." The strings add to the sadness of the aftermath of an affair, where she discovers the link between "being close to craziness and being close to you."

The humorous "My Aphrodisiac Is You" is a languid piano blues tune where Katie dismisses the rhino horns, Spanish Fly, opium, rubber gloves, or the Kama Sutra, and instead warbles the title. It's a close cousin to Nancy Sinatra's cover of "Let's Fall In Love." Katie strums away on another blues-inflected tune, "Mockingbird Song," although the horns steer it more towards jazz.

Upon hearing the line "the blues will taunt you constantly when you're out in a crowd" in the café ballad "Learnin' The Blues," I remembered the Christmas holidays of 2003, the time heralding my breakdown. Yes indeed, "when you feel your heart break, you're learning the blues."

Another Norah-like tune is "Blame It On The Moon." She does a nice cover of Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going To Rain Today," which with its strings and piano arrangements, make this a highlight. And her closing tune, James Shelton's "Lilac Wine," is a haunting number, on how drinking the sweet and heady lilac wine will make one see what one wants to see, and oh yes, unsteady.

Katie writes two tunes, "Belfast (Penguins and Cats)" an acoustic guitar ballad, and her high note reminds me of Maria McKee, and her tribute to Eva Cassidy, "Faraway Voice." In "Belfast," the idea is how important it is to live, "being able to fly" unlike a penguin, and "dying nine times," in other words living it for all it's worth. As for the other, keep in mind that it was only after Eva Cassidy died of cancer in 1996 at age 33 that she found an audience. "Are you over those hills?/Do you still hum the old melodies?/Do you wish people listened?" she sings, in line with that. Another highlight. And "Tiger In The Night" is another sweet string-laden ballad that may owe as its influence the poem by William Blake, "tiger burning bright/deep in the forest of my night."

Some may dismiss her because she only writes two songs here, as opposed to Norah Jones, but Mike Batt's arrangements, Katie's girlish voice and the way she uses it to evoke the emotions of the songs, and the strings supporting her, do her justice. A great opening shot from Ms. Melua-here's someone with great potential, and maybe someone Renee Olstead should take pointers from. Keep'em coming, Katie!

Katie Melua has a very unique and beautiful voice. I only found out about her, because of James Blunt, who is another newcomer with wonderful voice and great music. I recently got Katie's CD, and I just love how easy and comfortable she sings. Not forced at all. She's in the same gendre as Norah Jones, but I think Katie has a better voice and sound. My favorites so far in this cd, after listening twice are "The Closest thing to Crazy" & "My Aphrodisiac is you." I'm definitely buying her other CD, "Piece by Piece." I'm very satisfied with this CD, and I'm hoping to see her live performance.

I understand the urge, or impulse, to compare and contrast musicians, but most of what I read is not helpful. Lots of things in life are similar; it doesn't mean one is trying to imitate the other, or that we have to choose just one. I'll take music from Katie Melua, Norah Jones, Gretchen Lieberum, Diana Krall, and anyone else who pleases my ear.

Sure they all have similarities and differences--they also all have talent. If their talent doesn't please your ear, that doesn't mean one of them is unsuccessfully trying to "be" the singer you happen to like.

I'm not looking for the "next Norah". I'm looking for music that is pleasing and enjoyable. For me, this CD is both! Wow!

Update:

I enjoyed the CD so much that I made a long trip to see Ms. Melua play live. I enjoyed the performance even more than the CD! Some artists need a studio, fancy equipment, and lots of "takes" to make them sound good; Ms. Melua does not need anything except her voice--and an optional guitar.

As for who she sounds like, I almost wish there were someone else like her, because I want more, and she has yet to release another album.

Norah Jones comparisons abound and rightly so because, like her, Katie Melua can really sing. But, wait a minute, in amongst the high quality, perfectly executed, but essentially MOR ballads that form the core of this album, what's happening on track 2, "Crawling up a Hill"? Something very different... a brilliant down-tempo interpretation of a little heard R&B number, originally released as their first single by the UK's John Mayall's Bluesbreakers some 40 years ago. Exciting at the time and much, much better this time around thanks to Katie Melua's beautifully controlled vocals, some exceptional playing, and a production that extracts the best from its excellent lyrics & underlying melodies. An inspired choice and a stunningly good track that, for "cool blues" fans out there, is worth the price of the album on its own.

This lady is very young, and yet she sings with more heart than some who are many years her elder. With a smooth and very polished voice and style she captures the essence of each song on this album. She reminds me of another young lady of a few years back named Maria Muldaur, but with a more earthy sense of the material. Given the right direction and production, we could see her star rising high in the midnight sky soon. Kudos for Katie, and forget all those comparisons to Norah Jones, that's apples and oranges. Both have their place.