Trouble in Paradise
Five years have passed since La Roux owned the charts with \"Bulletproof,\" during which time vocalist Elly Jackson endured vocal problems and the departure of collaborator Ben Langmaid. Now she\'s released *Trouble in Paradise*, which, despite its ominous title, is full of vibrant, sun-splashed rhythms. Indeed, the rebooted La Roux was worth the wait. Whereas the group\'s debut succeeded on the strength of its icy throb and aggressive sentiments (\"I\'m going in for the kill!\"), *Trouble* proves that Jackson is human after all, infusing her sound with ska, reggae, and the exuberant \'80s pop of groups like General Public and Missing Persons. \"Kiss and Not Tell\" is effervescent electro, while \"Tropical Chancer\" features slinking guitars à la Nile Rodgers. Past and present collide on \"Silent Partner,\" a pulsing reminder that Jackson remains bulletproof when it comes to riling up a dancefloor.
Following bandmate/producer Ben Langmaid's departure, La Roux's second album still sounds like La Roux: slick, bright, and instantly familiar. This record breathes more than their debut, with slower tempos and less of an emphasis on vacuum-sealed electronics.
Newly reduced to a solo act, Elly Jackson's creative outlet ventures to tropical lands to dig deeper and peer inwards.
Five years on, that pop appeal is still at the forefront, but ‘Trouble Is Paradise’ feels warmer, cheekier and more mischievous.
Naming her long-awaited second album Trouble in Paradise might have been tempting fate if La Roux's Elly Jackson hadn't endured plenty of hardships between 2009's self-titled debut and its follow-up.
Uttering "I know the temperature is rising" on opener "Uptight Downtown" or "walking alone on a sunny beach" on "Paradise Is You," La Roux's eccentric, redheaded namesake Elly Jackson quickly makes some claims for the Summer Jam here.
Album review: La Roux - Trouble In Paradise. Re-establishes Elly Jackson as one of Britain’s premier pop talents...
<p>After a five-year wait, the flame-quiffed androgyne returns with a persuasive second helping of cool synth-pop, writes <strong>Kitty Empire</strong></p>
Trouble in Paradise is an album with some very forgettable space in between its handful of bright spots.
<p><strong>Alexis Petridis</strong>: It's taken Elly Jackson five years to follow up her debut album, and by all accounts it was a pretty torturous process – but the end result is well worth the wait</p>
Elly Jackson has matured musically in her absence: but is that for the best? Music review by Joe Muggs