Dia Frampton - Red (2011)

Vocalist Dia Frampton's 2011 major-label debut, Red, is a sweet, melodic, and pop-oriented affair that builds upon her second-place finish in the 2011 season of NBC's The Voice. With a vocal quality that brings to mind a mix of the indie pop sweetness of Sixpence None the Richer's Leigh Nash with the earnest exuberance of country-pop star Taylor Swift, Frampton is a likable and familiar presence on record. Tracks such as the leadoff "Don't Kick the Chair" featuring rapper Kid Cudi and the rambling folk-rocker "Isabella" have an alternative singer/songwriter meets electronic pop vibe that fits nicely along with such similarly inclined artists as Ellie Goulding, Lights, and Alex Winston. Elsewhere, we get a country power ballad duet with Frampton's The Voice coach Blake Shelton, the screwball dance-club oddity "Billy the Kid," and various acoustic moments like the bittersweet "Daniel." Ultimately, while Frampton is never allowed to settle into one aesthetic sound on Red -- moving from electronic pop to dance-rock to folk-pop -- her honey-sweet voice and emotionally compelling delivery are enough to carry you along for the ride.~Red Review by Matt Collar