Fridae

Japan has Emi Fujita. America has Sarah McLachlan. And Singapore has Corrinne May.

When the talented Ms May released her first self-titled album in 2002, Ms Scary could still remember listening to deeply moving songs such as "Fly Away" and "If You Didn't Love Me" while a lump forms in her notorious deep throat.

In fact, the Singapore-born chanteuse's debut album was so well-received that it prompted one music critic to enthuse that "(Sarah) McLachlan would give anything to sound like this" and another to praise the album as containing "some of the most poignant love songs never recorded by Celine Dion."

Fast forward three years later and the now Los-Angeles based Ms May has recently released her follow-up album entitled Save In A Crazy World. Containing more piano adorned folk pop of the Sarah McLachlan variety and featuring the Berklee educated Ms May's intimate cooings (sans any annoying accent), the album recreates a meditative world perfect for late night musings.

Unfortunately, with a debut as outstanding as Corrinne May, it is inevitable that comparisons between the two albums would arise. While the first album sparkled with its beautiful quiet melodies and lyrical honesty, Save In This World contains some cringe-worthy lyrics (samples: "I'm like putty in your hands" ["Save Me"] and "Sprinkle a little sugar and spice/ Turn the bullies that terrorise/ Into pink poodles that bark/ But don't bite" ["Little Superhero Girl"]) and repeats the formula of prefacing every song with some lovely ivory tinkling before progressing to pleasant enough melodies.

Overall, Save In A Crazy World is a competent album by international standards and even an outstanding album by Singaporean standards. However, the fact remains that it breaks no new grounds and offers songs which are indistinguishable from one another.

Scary's Selected Spins: If you like any one track, you'll love the entire album. If you dislike any one track, you'll detest the entire album.