This came out in 2001 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
For the past few years, it seems most female singers from the U.K. fall into three categories — soul divas, trip-hop purrers, and pop-tart ingenues. Except for Eddi Reader.
The former vocalist for Fairground Attraction has never paid much attention to trends. This fifth solo album is no different. Simple Soul finds Reader and musical partner Boo Hewerdine dispensing 11 tracks of gentle, middle-American folk-pop with all the relaxed grace and honest emotion of Sarah McLachlan or Shawn Colvin. But while it’s easy to love the lightly dusted acoustic guitars and lazily ambling beats, I could do without some of the more Hallmark Card-like lyrics about sunrises, wishing wells and lucky pennies. Having a simple soul is one thing; a sappy one is an entirely different matter.
