I admire artists that record on their own labels and work hard to generate a loyal following. I admire them even more if they can write and perform great music. Stephanie Kirkham writes beautiful lyrics, records on her own label, and has built a fan base out of nothing. Now for me that’s a great start, but there are many fabulously talented singer/songwriters out there that she has to compete with in order to sustain artistic viability. And the competition is intense, diverse, and better.

SUNLIGHT ON MY SOUL is a pop album full of wonderful lyrics but sorely lacking in vocal distinction, killer melodies and strong instrumental arrangements. The end result is collection of songs that all sound pretty much the same, and fail to provide entertainment or inspiration. As a reviewer, the only critical route I can take is to compare one artist with another. In other words, I have to set a benchmark and be as fair as possible in making comparisons. For example, would it be fair to directly compare Kirkham’s album with Martha Wainwright’s, one of the best from any singer/songwriter in the last five years. Perhaps not, but when Wainwright sings about love or frustration, I feel it. That’s what a singer/songwriter does. If I listen to Kate Bush or Canadian Veda Hille or American Jennifer Terran sing about our world, I am moved by it. If I listen to Sophie B Hawkins or Ani DiFranco or Carina Round or Jane Siberry sing about their sexuality, I am stirred by it.

Kirkham musically is in a place that I find unconvincing and confused. If opening track The Butterfly Song was a poem I would give it more credit, as lyrically it is quite beautiful. Musically, I am unmoved and unimpressed. The next track Show Me What You’re Made Of is about frustration in love but is performed as though it’s the most optimistic song on the album. Lyrically, it hits the mark, musically it misses the target by miles with its bouncy jazzy/pop vibe. Hear The Blackbird is another lyrical beauty that musically runs out of steam early on, and fails to bite. Bad Dream is a folk tinged pop tune with a strong musical arrangement, but Kirkham cannot carry the song off vocally.

Ultimately, this album doesn’t inspire, move, excite or communicate. Lyrically, it’s very strong but without the rest of the formula in place, lyrics become meaningless. However, if James Blunt can make it then Kirkham certainly can.

2.5/5