Idina Menzel – Idina

FANS OF Frozen and Wicked expect songs like Let It Go and Defying Gravity when they buy a solo album by Idina Menzel.

The opening number of her latest offering, Small World, will certainly keep them happy, as will the next tracks Like Lightning and Queen of Swords.

But thankfully this CD isn’t simply a rerun of those blockbusters that made Menzel’s name on the stage and screen.

Yes, almost everything is epic, whether the powerhouse belters or the slow ballads, and they all make full use of Menzel’s massive, emotive and very distinctive voice.

But there’s lots of variety, the songs drawing on a multitude of genres from pop and power ballads to urban and reggae, while remaining true to the style that attracted us in the first place.

There’s also humour and raw edges, on standout songs like Cake, and overall, this is one of the best albums.

David Knights