Seeing You

Album Review

The debut from Kit Holmes is a very smart pop album that also shows she has massive instrumental chops in the guitar. That could make for a very schizophrenic disc, but in fact everything fits together wonderfully well. Both "Cheap Flights" and "Out of the Shade" are lazy, seductive pieces of radio-friendly summer pop, while "Gow's Lament" gives Holmes a chance to shine on the fretboard. Much is made of the presence of the great Danny Thompson on bass on several tracks, and there's no doubt he's excellent and adds a lot, but the album certainly wouldn't be lost without him. The only real bone of contention here is Holmes's voice. It's somewhat of a take-it-or-leave-it proposition, which can be a good or bad thing. Those who take against it will shut off immediately and not have the chance to open up to some classy adult pop. Although everything is very smooth, there's a quiet sophistication in the writing and the arrangements, which are all fairly low key — this isn't a rock album, by any means. It defies easy categorization, and that's part of its charm. Kit Holmes is a talent, and this first salvo promises a long, fulfilling career.