Ida Maria
Fortress Round My Heart
Sony/ BMG


Norwegian Ida Maria could be the perfect girl for Craig Finn of The Hold Steady. Both are mentally tormented by questions about God and religion yet their carnal desire for fleshly fun always seems to win out.

Maria's hedonistic spirit is typified by the likeable and cheeky single I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked, which Triple J have given a right royal flogging. For punters who like the vibe and sound that Ida Maria is putting out, there is every chance that 'Fortress Round My Heart' will work for you. Not that every song sounds like the lead single, in fact, Maria does a fair job of mixing things up with ballads, breezy pop or rocking out.

Songs questioning God bookend the album, the brash Oh My God even lyrically references Coldplay and both songs have a mantra-like aspect to them.

However, the core theme running through 'Fortress Round My Heart' is the desire for relationships (and the disasters that often ensue). Louie is a golden touch of pop that is only outshone by the insight into Maria's drunken thoughts on Queen Of The World, where we witness her feeling victorious yet deeply unhappy.

Ida Maria does have a bit of an Amy Winehouse complex with ample songs about drinking, smoking and at times even wrapping it up in a sultry package (Keep Me Warm). She also has an endearing European accent and great control over her voice, varying it from smooth and sweet to raspy and broken (her screams of Stella bring back memories of Elaine in Seinfeld). Reference points for Ida Maria's rock moments include the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Drive Away My Heart) and Franz Ferdinand (Forgive Me).

'Fortress Round My Heart' is a tight little unit. Although not ever song is as immediate as the big single, all 10 tracks work on some level and show off both Ida Maria's songwriting skills and vocal talent without becoming an empty vehicle.

Scott Berry