The Gift - Susan Boyle 4.5/5 I still wonder how Scottish singer Susan Boyle did not win Britain's Got Talent. You only have to listen to her second album, The Gift, and see the television stories about her life to keep wondering that.
She is a beautiful singer and this album lives upto the media hype surrounding the rags-to-riches 49-year-old's story.
Her latest offering has an unusual collection of tracks that work.
Half of the tracks are Christmas carols and the rest are obviously favourites for her, including Crowded House's Don't Dream It's Over, Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and Lou Reed's Perfect Day.
The carols include my favourite O Come All Ye Faithful, which Boyle sings acappella.
Boyle's version of the Crowded House song is different to any other cover and one of the best I've heard.
The album is not crowded with orchestral backing, but expresses a certain amount of humility.
