One & Two

Charlotte Church heads in a more alternative direction on the emotionally charged One & Two. A compilation of two recent EPs, the album is a striking personal statement by an artist trying to move beyond her phenomenal early success. The angelic arias that Church favored as a preteen prodigy have been replaced by self-composed material filled with volatile imagery and swooping melodic lines. One & Two heightens her songs' drama, with goth-tinged arrangements fleshed out by throbbing synths, astringent guitars, and rumbling drums. Church’s extraordinary vocal range and control are evident here, along with a desire to transcend the restraints of her classical training. Tracks like “The Rise," “Beautiful Wreck,” and “Say It’s True” combine the vocal audacity of Kate Bush and Björk with the theatrical grandeur of Andrew Lloyd Webber. The dissonant desperation of “Glitterbombed” contrasts with the tweaked gentility of “The Mistress” and the eerie alienation of “How Not to Be Surprised When You’re a Ghost.” With this album, Church has traded her angel’s halo for something far more visceral and compelling.