On her impressive debut, MADE OF BRICKS, British singer/multi-instrumentalist Kate Nash presents a confident and dynamic collection of pop songs. While both the young performer's sultry voice and fearless delivery immediately recall her contemporary Lily Allen (see the caustic "Dickhead," in particular), Nash often occupies territory closer to the thoughtful musings of Fiona Apple and Regina Spektor, as evinced on the swooning narrative "Birds" and the playful, piano-led ditty "Skeleton Song." The clear high point of BRICKS, however, is the vibrant, electronica-tinged "Foundations," a track that catapulted Nash to fame in the U.K., and fully showcases her biting wit and keen sense of melody.

On a first listen to Kate Nash's debut Made of Bricks, it's easy to hear the similarities to her contemporaries (Lily Allen, the Streets, Amy Winehouse) and influences (Bj”rk, Robbie Williams). Her most popular songs are both intimate and confrontational, using brief portraits and slang-conversational vocals to illustrate the larger issues going on -- the dinner party that exposes a crumbling relationship on "Foundations" or the futility of using "Mouthwash" as a defense against feelings of low self-worth. The music is explosive and sample-driven, but with plenty of ties to contemporary pop, such as the frequent piano runs and occasional chamber brass or woodwinds. Spend time with this album, however, and Nash is revealed as much more than the sum of her parts. First, she's an excellent songwriter who illustrates her tales of romantic woe and inadequacies with grace and many subtleties. (It's easy to see why Allen saw Nash not as a rival but a fellow artist, and how the two quickly became friends.) Nash's frequent sing-speak vocals and rather, erm, direct manner on some songs ("Dickhead," "Shit Song") are what most naysayers immediately point to, but her quiet rage on the former track is tremendously effective. Still, what impresses the most about Made of Bricks are her deft sketches of deteriorating relationships, whether they're being loudly destroyed ("Foundations" again) or wryly and tenderly closing ("Birds"). Nash has plenty of maturation to do as a songwriter and performer, but she shows considerable promise on this debut. ~ John Bush

Rolling Stone (p.66) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "BRICKS is the sound of an eager kid making unconventional pop that works..."

Spin (p.96) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Nash's bluntness and attention to detail make for a good spectacle....Nash has made the kind of vivid, wonderfully direct album that could only come from a beginner."

Spin (p.48) - Ranked #23 in Spin's "40 Best Albums Of 2008" -- "Kate Nash spray paints vivid sketches of young London....A startling debut..."

Entertainment Weekly (p.71) - "[H]er lilting alto and quirky sensibility are ultimately winning." -- Grade: B

Q (Magazine) (p.72) - Ranked #47 in Q's "The 50 Best Albums Of 2007" -- "[W]ith solid-gold songs, a heartwarming homespun philosophy and a denouncement of all of fame's fripperies..."