Charlotte Jaconelli // Solitaire

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Recognise the name? You’re probably more used to seeing it as part of Jonathan & Charlotte but late last year, the pair went their separate ways due to creative differences. So what is Charlotte’s debut album like?

Opening with the ballad Feels Like Love, we hear what sounds more like a pop vocal with a classical edge. Title track Solitaire is next and is more classical in feeling before we head straight into complete classical mode with Pie Jesu.

I know Him So Well (from the musical Chess) is next and comes in the form of a duet with West End star Kerry Ellis which, for the most part works well. Off to the movies now with When Somebody Loved Me (from the Disney Pixar classic, Toy Story 2) before the classic Richard Marx track Right Here Waiting For You, again delivered with that pop but classical edge voice.

Lascia ch’io pianga is another classical track that showcases Jaconelli’s voice before heading back to the musicals with another duet, this time Daniel Koek in the form of All I Ask Of You and this time works well for the entirety of the track.

Staying with the musicals, we head off to Les Miserables for On My Own but seems sang ‘too proper’ for it to sound natural, however this proper voice works for the next track in this list which is I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls and flows better. Finally the album closes with I Could Have Danced All Night but it leaves you feeling like there should be another track after this. Maybe swap the last two tracks for a more natural ending?

We had a feeling given the last release with Jonathan, Perhaps Love that there was a difference in direction with the pair, and while it’s sad to them split, this now give them the chance to flourish. It’s a mixed bag of songs which is obviously leaving Jaconelli open to experiment and find her niche. Our only complaint is something we picked up on the last time and that is the over pronunciation of words which makes the flow in certain songs feel unnatural. It feels as if at times she is trying too hard, almost like a need to say ‘I can do this on my own’.

Should there be a second solo album, we really hope that she can find a focus on what she’d rather be doing. This shows she can do a variety but we suspect that she also needs a variety of vocals to match the variety of tracks

Rating: 3/5