Laila Biali

"It is conspicuously a poppy record, but without ever straying from jazz fundamentals, often with very exciting results. Tempos go fast and choirs, strings, guitars, and of course the reliable piano take these tunes to all corners of Biali's expansive range. It's not just the beats that swing on scorchers like the gospel-infused opener "Got to Love" or the progressive futurism of "Code Breaking," but Biali is also to swing from paradigm pop jazz to adult contemporary tropes with efficacy and confidence, each song, whether with a splash of schmaltz or a tingle of paranoia, arriving a fully formed work ... There has been much ballyhoo about her take on radio rock via her slow burn version of Coldplay's "Yellow." This is a must for diehard Coldplay fans who have just discovered jazz, or those that enjoy the sub-genre of "songs that would be appropriate as the hero of a romantic comedy runs in the rain" ... Many who are trying to do this much would achieve little, but this recordisthe presentation of someone accomplished and brave, working in a safe milieu, but such a gifted player and natural risk taker that the album retains a fresh edge".

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"Laila Biali emblazons her dazzling persona on a cheekily stylish foldout jacket, then sings her wide-embrace jazz-pop fusion in steadily varied, blues-tinged song forms with keen passion and witty humanism ... Biali's assertive, pleasing voice and insistent piano take center stage, as influences peek in from Joni Mitchell, Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys and Motow ... This performer's aim is true and her vision is set far and wide".