Reviewed by Fiona Gregson

The first full album from an Irish independent artist. But that’s not to say Belfast singer/songwriter Laura-Anne Collins is not about to make a big impact in the Christian music scene. Laura-Anne’s debut effort is a collection of 10 thought provoking songs that range from melancholic ballads to heartfelt anthems. With a sound and musical sensitivity reminiscent of American singer/songwriter Ginny Owens, Laura-Anne demonstrates both her vocal and songwriting abilities on ‘Fragments’ with “Who I Am”, an honest account of her outlook on life, one such example being, “So this is me, it’s who I am/Imperfect insecurity,” she admits in the chorus. Other highlights include “Crazy Beautiful” and final track “Invocation”, a fantastic ballad of the Lord’s Prayer that is a real cry of worship. Already accustomed to live performances as a solo artist, Laura-Anne’s next step into the music industry came upon forming a band with a group of local musicians in the summer of 2001. It was these musicians who she took into the studio to record ‘Fragments’, a collection of songs she had written over the previous 18 months. Listing Tori Amos, Dido and Sarah McLachlan amongst her influences, Laura-Anne seems set to embark on a career as a solo female artist. Suffering perhaps only from a lack of production polish common with low budget albums, ‘Fragments’ shows real promise of much greater things to come from this Irish 23-year-old.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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