The Power

by Brendan SwiftTeenage pop diva Vanessa Amorosi first came to international attention at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games, impressing with her Australian smash "Absolutely Everybody." The trend continues on her solid debut release, The Power, where she flexes impressive vocals among a range of standard pop, dance, and rock tracks. Her strong and soulful voice doesn't always sound at home among the more lightweight pop ("Shine" and "How Y' Livin'"), but the strength more than complements the melodic "Every Time I Close My Eyes" and gutsy "Have a Look." "The Power" is the only other dance single that comes close to matching the precocious "Absolutely Everybody" among a steady selection of tracks with few musical risks. The Power is characterized by consistency rather than standout songs -- a glimpse of Vanessa Amorosi's promise, rather than the best of Vanessa Amorosi.