Alice Russell Pot of Gold

• Words: Eric K. Arnold
• Label: Six Degrees
• XLR8R Rating: 7.5/10

Joss who? Amy who? The best–meaning quirkiest and most original–young British soul siren around is Alice Russell. Though her sound is pleasantly accessible, Russell is beyond just aiming for retro-chic with pop-tart gloss; she’s in the game to shake things up a bit. She coaxes a surprising amount of power out of her slim frame, going from a whisper to a scream in about 0.2 seconds, and her kookiness (and inspired arrangements) rescues Pot of Gold from typical U.K. R&B cliché-dom. Her version of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” doesn’t outdo the original, but easily stands on its own, while “Got the Hunger” simmers with Motown-ish sass. But Russell’s not just renting a room in Soulsville–she wants to own it.