Eliza Doolittle will release her album IN YOUR HANDS which is the follow-up to her self-titled debut which entered the charts at #3, sold over 500,000 copies and spawned the hit singles Pack up and Skinny Genes.
Eliza began writing songs for her second album in late 2011, as the two-year world tour in support of her self-titled first album finally ended. One of the earliest recording sessions resulted in Waste Of Time, a sun drenched, R&B tune that instantly showcases her ever maturing, soulful voice.
This Summer saw Eliza return with not one but three big singles You & Me (the track she wrote and featured on with Disclosure), the gloriously uplifting Big When I Was Little plus a guest vocal on original two-step don Wookies The Hype. The self-penned Big When I Was Little was produced by Steve Robson (Paloma Faith) and Wayne Hector (Christina Aguilera, Nicki Minaj) and echoes the vibe from her past and provides a natural stepping stone to an album which showcases an older, wiser Eliza Doolittle.
Review
British pop singer Eliza Caird, better known as Eliza Doolittle, stormed the
charts in 2010 with her rambunctious, smartly produced self-titled debut. That
album, with its mix of jazzy pop music, was a Day-Glo showcase for her big
personality, sexy flirtatiousness, and resonant vocal chops. Certified platinum
in 2011, it helped propel Doolittle to bona fide pop star status, and whet her
fans' appetite for her next move. However, rather than jump back into the studio
and crank out another album, Doolittle took her time. She expanded into
modeling, and even dated Good Charlotte's Benji Madden, with whom she
ultimately broke up. Free of Madden and with an eye on revealing a more mature
version of herself, Doolittle's 2013 sophomore album, In Your Hands, goes
far toward moving her in a more grown-up direction. Working with a handful of
writer/producers including Kid Harpoon (Mayer Hawthorne, Jessie Ware) and Steve
Robson (Kings of Leon, Paloma Faith, Cher), In Your Hands is a sophisticated,
contemporary dance and soul album that takes its cues from the sound and style
of '90s R&B stars like Mariah Carey and En Vogue. Although there are
certainly more than a few '60s-inflected numbers, including the infectious,
gospel-and-blues-inflected “Back Packing,” the Brill Building-esque
“Hush,” and the Jackson Five-sounding “Let It Rain,” In Your Hands is
less a post-Adele, post-Amy Winehouse album and more of a contemporary pop album
in the vein of Doolittle's contemporaries like Jessie J. and Leona Lewis.
Ultimately, the focus on In Your Hands is less on Doolittle's cheeky persona
and more on her passionate lyrics and warm vocals, a change she can back up with
her creativity and talent. Matt Collar – AllMusic