Play to Win

Co-written with longterm collaborator Johnathan Shorten, Julian Gallagher (Kylie Minogue), and Richard Stannard (Spice Girls), the album's strong country influences are also fused with anthemic, Snow Patrol-esque indie ("Give and Take"), breezy summery pop ("Ten Years Time"), and acoustic R&B ("Picking Up the Pieces"). The album's high point, however, comes with "Fallen Angel," a subtle, folky ballad which neatly brings things full circle thanks to its similarity to Tracy Chapman's classic '80s hit "Fast Car," a track Gabrielle originally sampled on her debut chart-topper "Dreams." However, the authentic stripped-down production, a soothing accompaniment on early tracks, "Sometimes" and "You Used to Love Me" begins to feel a tad monotonous toward the final third of the disc, particularly on drab ballad "War of Two Minds" and the downbeat closer "Tumbling Down." Play to Win lacks the immediacy and infectious hooks of her previous three releases, but with lyrics tackling her own heartbreak, her nieces' difficult childhood, the Iraq war, and a brave, genre-shifting sound, it's her most introspective, personal, and mature effort to date.