Daniel Bedingfield - Gotta Get Thru This

For many bedroom producers, Daniel Bedingfield's debut must seem like a dream come true. A songwriter, home producer, and vocalist whose laptop recording of the title track was one of the biggest hits of 2001 in the UK, Bedingfield makes music that's one part Prince, one part Michael Jackson, and one part UK Garage. Poppy soul-funk in the vein of Cameo, he possesses a distinctive edge that sets him apart from countless other '80s revivalists. A softer side of Bedingfield emerges on "If You're Not the One," a ballad that could easily be dismissed as generic album-filling slush but, with a few listens, proves to be the kind of well-crafted song Jackson's Invincible lacked. One gripe: the re-recorded version of "Gotta Get Thru This," while far more polished and professional than its predecessor, lacks the infectious, raw groove of the original. Still, this album demonstrates how pop music should be made--with a strong emphasis on skill rather than image. --David Trueman