This creative, enjoyable and hard-to-box-in debut from Alice Smith smartly avoids the formulaic trappings of traditional soul, neo-soul and modern R&B, opting instead to inject subtle complexities and ?ourishes of atmospheric rock and pop. It’s the perfect canvas for her powerful, seductive voice, as are the songs, several co-written by Smith along with a team that calls to mind the unforgettable tune-factory collectives of ’60s-and-’70s soul. While the album never lets up, second track “Woodstock” is the obvious standout, its classic chorus making it one of the catchiest songs cut in 2006. Expect more excellence from Smith and her ultra-talented cohorts in years to come.