Hardly Glamour

Cloudy-voiced Maia Sharp's debut Hardly Glamour is a sweet portrait of a young artist trying on a new coat and stepping out into the world to see how it feels. Indeed, the opening track is a fine tune, and would have been right in line with Triple-A radio had Sharp been a more familiar name. With all of the jazz, swing, and folk undercurrents, it's easy to catch on that Sharp is a talented artist, even if her voice lacks the power, emotion, and range of someone like Sheryl Crow. It's truly forgivable, because she makes it up with her musical strong suits and songwriting. "Only Way of Knowing" is as smooth as it gets, while "Solitaire" shuffles and sways right along. Then there's "Wandering Heart" and "The Apology," which sounds a familiar note for anyone who has ever felt like they were playing second fiddle in a relationship. The closing track, "Parting Request," is a lovely coda, a quiet resting place in the guise of a simple piano/vocal offering. Sharp is onto something here — hopefully the beginning of a long career.