LIANNE LA HAVAS
LIANNE LA HAVAS
WARNER RECORDS
★★★★
Though it may appear otherwise, to say the finest track on Lianne La Havas’ third album is a cover is not a backhanded compliment.
She’s chosen Radiohead’s Weird Fishes, the highlight of 2007’s In Rainbows and yet she’s managed to pour honey over it without stifling any of its emotional clout. That’s not just down to her glorious voice: its arrangement remains close to the original, yet always explores its own corners, whether in the subdued opening half, its a cappella bridge, or noisy climax.