Ricki Lee - Ricki Lee (2005)

There is no denying true talent where talent is clearer than clear, and Ricki-Lee Coulter is clearly a talent. While that statement may be a mouthful and a tongue-twister, Coulter's natural gift cannot be denied. This is especially true since the Australian pop diva's talent wasn't denied for some time during her all-too-short run on Australian Idol; however, after finishing in seventh place, uproar ensued since Coulter was heavily favored to place higher and even to win the competition. Therefore, it was no surprise that she was a hot commodity after her elimination; after all, a beautiful girl with an incredible vocal capacity is no small gift, and Australia was looking for a hot voice to glow on radio stations. What is interesting to note is that Coulter, rather than signing with the label juggernaut BMG, offered her talents up to Shock Records, Australia's largest independent music label. This move was a smart one for Coulter, since it allowed for more artistic control on her first album, where she was guaranteed success almost immediately. After a few listens to Coulter's debut release, titled merely after her trademark first name, it is easy to see why this young talent has so much buzz surrounding her; Coulter's versatile voice booms proudly on dance tracks like "Hell No!" and boasts bravado on midtempo rock tunes like "Being Human." What doesn't really work for the album is it's lack of musical direction; Coulter is painted as a cross between Mariah Carey (which works because Coulter's impressive chops could carry an album like Carey's Daydream with nearly as little effort), S Club 7, and a slicker R&B edition of Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls. While Coulter is probably more comparable to the first of the three, the latter two are more prominent on the album, and the result seems mixed; Coulter sounds great all the way through, but the tunes don't always support her. When the hooks are good, they are great, especially on the album's main singles "Breathe" and "Hell No!" However, when they're flat, they're awkward and just not suited for Coulter (sorry "Hello"). This debut is all over the map, and Coulter is too polished and mature to record the sort of vapid teen pop tunes that speckle the album. Overall, the album never truly solidifies Coulter enough to warrant her immediate approval by a widespread audience, since she is divided so heavily between styles and influences that don't always suit her. When it's right, though, Coulter's talent is immensely apparent, and if there is any justice she will have the opportunity to find artistically worthy material to match the phenomenal gift that she brings to the world.~Ricki-Lee Review by Matthew Chisling