KATE AUMONIER comes highly recommended, having been discovered by legendary producer Glyn Johns (The Who, The Clash, Stones, more big names than we have space for) and having worked with Johns' son Ethan, Mike Rutherford and Strokes producer Gordon Raphael since that time.
The trailer single for her debut album "Here I Am", "Beautiful Girl" finds her in harness with Ethan Johns and is a well-observed commentary on the fickle nature of zeitgeist-chasing and the idea of keeping up with the Celebrity Joneses. "She wasn't always beautiful, the furthest thing away from cool, now she's bending all the rules" coos Kate slyly by way of an introduction and she's certainly got something.
Musically, though, I'm not so sure. Undeniably "Beautiful Girl" has what it takes to be a radio hit and while I can only salute the fact Kate is far too classy and ballsy to be another Katie Melua or (God forbid) Dido, I'm not entirely sure we need an English Alanis Morrissette either. For all her obvious talent, Kate certainly doesn't have the fascinating natural quirk factor of rising female stars like Polly Paulusma or Siobhan Parr.
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Flipside "Red" is arguably the more insteresting tune, actually. This time it's a stripped-down acoustic affair, and in these surroundings, Kate can breathe and lets out a good, emotional vocal that's fragile and regretful without lapsing into sentimentality. More of this and Kate Aumonier could indeed be a contender.
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