Album Review: Julia Henning - Fledgling

South Australian singer-songwriter Julia Henning has written an album destined to wind up in every karaoke box in the country, and not in good way.

Predictable melodies and plain progressions are the core of this latest offering, as the tracks meander around obvious hooks and faux-grandeur. The one saving grace of Fledgling is Hennings’ vocal prowess, which grows and expands the songs beyond their otherwise simple limits. Sadly, the lacklustre lyrics give no emotional weight to that powerful voice, for as nice as everything sounds the tracks are ultimately empty and fleeting.