A Perfect Contradiction
Paloma Faith · 2014
39 min · 11 tracks · contemporary R&B
Soulful vocals intertwine with contemporary pop and jazz elements, creating an intoxicating blend of emotion and rhythm.
Top tracks — play these first
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Only Love Can Hurt Like This — This track highlights Faith's powerful vocal delivery and emotional depth, encapsulating the album's exploration of love and heartbreak.
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Can't Rely on You Start here — With its upbeat tempo and catchy hooks, this song showcases Faith's ability to blend pop sensibilities with soulful flair, setting a vibrant tone for the album.
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Mouth to Mouth — This track combines lush instrumentation with poignant lyrics about desire, effectively illustrating Faith's artistry in crafting relatable narratives through music.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends pop and jazz elements effectively, though it follows familiar structures within its genre.
What we noticed
- The first three tracks establish a consistent upbeat tempo, while the fourth track introduces a slower, more emotional ballad that shifts the album's energy.
- Several tracks feature prominent brass instrumentation, particularly in 'Only Love Can Hurt Like This' and 'Trouble With My Baby', adding a jazz influence to the pop sound.
- The album closes with a reflective tone in 'It's the Not Knowing', which contrasts with the earlier high-energy tracks and provides a sense of resolution.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo groove throughout
- uplifting melodies for positivity
- soulful vocals with emotional depth
- for casual gatherings
Maybe skip if you
- prefer fast-paced, energetic tracks
- seek deep, introspective themes
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — This album solidified her reputation with critical acclaim and chart success.
- Career context
- Released in early 2014, A Perfect Contradiction marked Paloma Faith's third studio album, following the successful Fall to Grace. At this point in her career, she had already established herself as a prominent figure in the UK music scene, and this album further solidified her unique sound and artistic identity.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Amy Winehouse· Adele· Lana Del Rey
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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Only Love Can Hurt Like This
The verse shifts from moments of vulnerability to declarations of resilience in love's pain.
This dynamic contrast deepens the emotional impact, revealing the complexity of affection as both beautiful and hurtful.
Tracklist
- 1 Can’t Rely on You Start here 3:15
- 2 Mouth to Mouth 4:23
- 3 Take Me 3:10
- 4 Only Love Can Hurt Like This 3:52
- 5 Other Woman 3:08
- 6 Taste My Own Tears 3:02
- 7 Trouble With My Baby 3:00
- 8 The Bigger You Love (The Harder You Fall) 3:01
- 9 Impossible Heart 4:31
- 10 Love Only Leaves You Lonely 4:31
- 11 It’s the Not Knowing 3:29
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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