The 50-year-old Scot's third album Someone to Watch Over Me is a mixed bag. Songs range from an almost eerie cover of 80s electronica band Depeche Mode's Enjoy The Silence and Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now to schmaltzy love song Unchained Melody and Paolo Nutini's Autumn Leaves.
Instrumentation is light on all tracks, allowing the purity of Boyle's voice to shine through. Sadly, though, the songs are all of a similar style - slow, pensive, emotionally charged - and those that weren't originally have been arranged to match the rest.
There are three problems with this album. First, there's not enough emotional range - we know Boyle can pluck the heartstrings, but it would be nice to hear her do something lighter. Second, the whole album only lasts half an hour. It's over before you know it. And finally, she sings only the first verse of the gorgeous Gershwin title song.
You're a breath of fresh air, SuBo, but have a little more respect for Messrs Gershwin.
YP Rating: 3/5