Katie Melua is a British recording artist whose debut album has just been released in the United States. Three songs from the album can be listened to online. Among them are my favorite from the CD, My Aphrodisaic, the fasted-paced song on the album. The others are Melua's hit single, The Closest Thing To Crazy, a nice song, though sung a bit too slowly, and Call Off The Search, which is too damn slow for me to enjoy. Other songs on the album, but not online include covers of Randy Newman's I Think It's Going To Rain Today, and the Mockingbird Song, neither of which compare favorably to previous versions I'm familiar with.

My wife and I listened to her debut CD, Call Off The Search, and had differing opinions. We both agree that Melua has a pretty voice, but as the album played, I was constantly thinking "please pick up the pace." Melua is one of those singers who can take a two-syllable word, and draw it out until it has seven syllables! She reminded me of Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland in the way she milks songs to feature her voice. She's not ready to be a diva yet, however. She clearly has the fundamentals to be a fine singer, but I won't fall in love with her until she falls a little less in love with her own voice.