Album Review: Christina Perri - lovestrong

Christina Perri - lovestrong

It's quite possible that you've never heard of Christina Perri. Indeed, no-one had really heard of the Philadelphia based singer/songwriter before her song Jar of Hearts was featured on the US TV show So You Think You Can Dance. The song sold over 100,000 copies within a month of appearing on the show and Perri was immediately catapulted into the public eye.

Single Jar of Hearts has been a major summer hit in the UK and I was fully expecting her debut album to be a collection of sub-quality songs with that single being the standout track. However, I couldn't have been more wrong.

I absolutely love this record. At times variously sounding like Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morissette and the Staves, Perri has come up with an album that's varied in tone, sound and style. There are lots of enormous ballad moments - Jar of Hearts is arguably the best break-up of the last few years while The Lonely is another piano-led power ballad.

However, it's the variety and quality of this album that shines through. US single Arms sounds scarily like the UK three piece The Staves - gentle acoustic guitar based pop - while Bang Bang Bang's catchy chorus looks set to become a fan favourite.

Perri has a great voice and an ear for a catchy tune. It's the sort of record that most critics don't like - it's pretty commercial and bits of it sound like they should be soundtracking Dawson's Creek - but I actually found myself really enjoying it from start to finish. I suppose it depends if you like Jar of Hearts - if you do then this is definitely for you.