New Wave meets Martini Lounge

Shana Halligan garnered her notoriety as the lead vocalist and songwriter of now-dissipated pop group Bitter:Sweet. Her new album Back To Me marks the beginning of her solo career: it’s a sugary-sweet pop record full of funky drum beats and more than enough bouncy choruses. The album is Halligan’s attempt to get back on track after leading herself astray after the breakup of her band, hence the title. The record is laden with heavy bossa nova influence and sensual crooning. It’s new wave-meets-martini lounge, and it’s perplexing.

Although Halligan’s vocals are professionally pitched and smooth as humanly possible, they’re also conventional and indistinguishable. The futuristic jazz backing band is a tad overbearing, and it becomes painstakingly obvious that Back To Me will do absolutely anything to come across as unique. Halligan is jumping through hoops to try and bring something fresh and new to the table, and her attempts fall short. It’s the sort of album that’s simply confusing, a curious clash of genres leaving one wondering in what context or situation they could possibly listen to it.

“Freak” is a strange attempt at musical seduction. Although Halligan’s vocals are uncomfortably provocative, the instrumentals are some of the smoothest on the album. The percussion is original, and well-timed, and it must be admitted that a sexy bossa nova slow jam is a notably ambitious venture. Halligan uses the traditional pattern of following her catchiest, most upbeat tracks with emotional yet electronic ballads. This mold of attempted variety is predictable, but when it comes to Back To Me, a slower paced song is often much needed after the four minutes of souped-up steel drums and smoky vocals that precede it. All in all, Halligan’s determined quest for originality can certainly be admired and appreciated, even if her attempts do end up proving lackluster in the end.