Posted on: December 3, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

“Big Star” starts out with a piano line that sticks with listeners long after the track ends, while the vocals here are influenced by strong female singers like Joan Osbourne, Sarah McLachlan, and even Sheryl Crow. The production during “Big Star” is perfect, bringing out the vocals without dwarfing the rest of the instrumentation present. “The Sun” looks to continue the momentum first garnered during “Big Star”, with Cameron’s own vocals taking a decidedly different tack. Cameron approaches the vocal quality of a Christina Aguilera or a Mariah Carey while a listener can hear at the periphery a very light twinge of country influence. As was the case with “Big Star”, “The Sun” is another track that should make it on pop radio.

“Words I Could Never Say” continues to challenge what listeners think “Conviction” is, as the production brings more closely together the vocal and instrumental side of things. With both pieces of the puzzle struggling for dominance, the resulting track is one of the strongest efforts found on the EP. “All That You Are” is another hit for Cameron, as the sound of the track touches upon the whole of efforts from artists as distinctive as Stevie Nicks and Shania Twain. There may only be seven tracks on “Conviction”, but each cut seems to showcase a different side of Cameron. By the time that the disc closes up with “Take This Moment”, I feel that I have known her my entire life.

However, this does not mean that Cameron has painted herself into a corner with this collection of songs; rather, I eagerly anticipate the release of her full-length to see further nuance and evolution of this artist. The EP closes with “Take This Moment”, a poignant end to an already-impressive release. I would personally love to hear Cameron’s sound further polished with the inclusion of more instruments on subsequent recordings. For me, the interplay that Cameron’s vocals would have with a more traditional “rock” set of instruments (or even something like an orchestra) would be a sight to hear. “Conviction” is an excellent start for Cameron; see her live whenever she sets up some dates and be sure to pick up this title at the earliest opportunity.

Top Tracks: Big Star, Words I Could Never Say

Rating: 8.2/10

Kate Cameron – Conviction / 2009 Self / 7 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/katecameronmusic

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