Yahoo! Music Review

Released on 05/02/07
Label: Universal

An exercise in tokenistic patronage, or a brave new dawn for Britain's most benighted musical genre? However Louise "Lady Sovereign" Harman's signing by Jay-Z to his Def Jam empire was interpreted when it took place is no longer important: this feisty Londoner - an outspoken grime Sporty Spice - and her gobby music are here, and constitute an intriguing anomaly on the roster of hip hop's most influential imprint. Yet "Public Warning" emerges from the beguiling backstory leaving many more questions unanswered.

Harman had earned respect before the deal, but she made street music: here, she is making street-influenced pop. The production, helmed by Medasyn (scion of the Prokofiev dynasty) but with everyone from Basement Jaxx to Steve Osbourne also credited, fits her jagged voice; but the sounds, which often seem aimed at a kids' TV idea of what grime might sound like, serve only to emphasise the childlike qualities of her songs. The energy is punk, but the end result is compromised, processed - less Siouxsie Sioux than Hazel O'Connor.

Add this to the lengths she has gone - or been persuaded to go - to explain UK street youth culture to an American audience (the only cliche missing in "My England" is a bowler-hatted businessman boarding a Routemaster bus outside the Houses of Parliament) and the effect is often cringeworthy. In the notoriously insular US, of course, they now think this is what all British hip hop sounds like. This isn't Sov's fault, and it's not fair to imply that the chances she's been given - working with The Neptunes (sessions abandoned); getting to support Gwen Stefani - aren't worth the price paid.

But this album seems to have been constructed for its American audience, when it would have been stronger by far had Harman stamped her authority - not just her identity - on proceedings. Then again, what else was a girl to do? This record was aimed so squarely at the States that its UK release comes months after its on-sale date in America, an obviously deliberate ploy to ensure that any critical negativity or unimpressive sales at home don't negatively impact its US reception.

There are glimmers of gold shining here all the same. "A Little Bit Of Shhh" uses some of those dirty, off-key synth swooshes and paranoia-inducing drum skitters so beloved of Sov's "Run The Road" milieu, and proves she can do more than raise the odd titter. Her imagination and incisive writing often produce not just entertaining lyrics but incredibly clever ones. In "9 To 5" she has a nightmare: "Oh sh*t! I'm in FHM posin' in a bikini / Next to a Lambourghini / Next up 'The Tweenies' / I'm presentin' 'CBeebies'".

It hasn't got that bad yet: but Lady Sovereign's apparent status as a pawn in an obscure transatlantic music biz chess game seems to have done her few favours. She undoubtedly has a great record or two in her. This, sadly, isn't one of them.

    by Angus Batey