Following the critical success that was ‘Way Down Low, Kat Edmonson returns with twelve new songs under the heading ‘The Big Picture’. By combining a similar mixture of jazz, folk and pop influences to her previous long player, Kat Edmonson’s passion for old classic films also finds a way into this latest set of compositions which, along with the guidance of well-renowned producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Sheryl Crowe, Suzanne Vega et al), really comes to the fore during such songs as ‘Oh My Love’ where the vocal is purring against a backdrop of black and white nostalgia. It’s this very love of vintage films that also finds its way into such numbers as ‘You Can’t Break My Heart’ where the two-tone canvass is exchanged for a grainy colour inspired by a Sergio Leone movie and accompanying Ennio Morricone sound score to support its western flavour. Elsewhere, there is a lovely light touch to the pop song ‘Avion’ that glides along at some pace and needs to be heard for the manner in which Kat Edmondson wraps her vocal around the very title of this particular ditty. ‘Rainy Day Woman’ is influenced by a 60s pop sound à la Dusty Springfield with its orchestral strings applying the raindrops, in addition to a horn section acting as a buffer against the oncoming (emotional) downpour. One of the most pleasing aspects of ‘The Big Picture’ is the apparent simplicity of some of the songs where less is certainly more when considering the shuffling drums and acoustic guitar of the exquisite ‘For Two’ and mellow tones of final song, ‘Who’s Counting’. Kat Edmonson’s star is on the ascendency as ‘The Big Picture’ is an album full of charm and teeming with creativity that manages to pull all of its components together and yet somehow sound smaller than its overall outlook would suggest. This, of course, is a skill in itself, and one that this songstress manages admirably. Top marks indeed!