CD: Helen Van Linden by Helen Van Der Linden

myspace.com/helenvanderlinden

They still talk about Helen Van Der Linden's jaw-dropping performance at the Gold Guitars last year.

Her smouldering version of Tami Neilson's song Cigarette, performed with delicious irony while she was six months' pregnant, won her the supreme award and announced the arrival of a major talent in the Kiwi country music scene.

The young Gore mum's many fans will be pleased to hear that song kicking off her debut mini-album in a more refined and polished form.

Van Der Linden's voice is pure and true throughout this easy-listening set of slick, traditionally arranged country songs. They linger like a warm summer breeze.

There's an Anne Murray-ish quality to her voice, in her relaxed delivery, warm tone and precise intonation. There's another irony here. It takes hard work to sound this relaxed and Van Der Linden doesn't come across as a person who shies away from hard work.

Gold Guitars judge Roger Corbett, who mastered Van der Linden's disc at his Valley Studio in New South Wales, praised her performance last year as flawless and close to perfection.

You could scarcely criticise a singer who's earned those kind of reviews from a man who's known in the industry as a perfectionist, but it does make you wonder what Helen Van Der Linden's voice is capable of once she loosens up a little. More of what the crowd at last year's Gold Guitars heard, you'd expect.

The purity of her voice has earmarked Van Der Linden as a performer with unlimited potential. Not many singers have got pipes as technically correct as hers and, given that this is her first studio session and she wanted it to be right, you could excuse her for concentrating on hitting the notes first, rather than colouring the songs with emotion.

Given some grittier material to work with and more experience, who knows what she can do with that voice.

The sky's her limit, and this is her first small but determined step towards the stars.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Sarah   #1   09:12 pm Mar 12 2010

excellent write up and excellent music, i love it!

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