Blue on Blue

1	Along the Wall 4:30
2	Nervous in the Light of Dawn 4:40
3	My Idea of Heaven 4:05
4	Ocean Size Love 4:58
5	Never Finish 3:44
6	Between the Lines 4:07
7	More of It 3:09
8	Angel Tonight 3:17
9	Blue 3:32
10	Cloud Nine 3:47
11	Just a Little 4:01

Barnes & Noble

This disc, the first solo offering from the former Sixpence None the Richer vocalist, exudes many of the same notes of sweetness and light that made songs like "Kiss Me" so ubiquitous a few years back. Nash's voice, rich in guileless charm, has never sounded more at home than on these songs, which wash the listener in waves of contentment and centered emotion. She conveys through her music the experience of making it through emotional storms (the island-flavored "My Idea of Heaven") and faith's impact on love (the folk flounce "Nervous in the Light of Dawn"). While a softly strummed acoustic guitar guides the latter song, much of Blue on Blue is dominated by piano -- a different setting for Nash, and one that suits her well, particularly on the slowly building "Along the Wall." When she and producer Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan, Rufus Wainwright) opt to get fussier with arrangements -- as on the string-drenched "Just a Little" -- things get a little dicey. But given Nash's ability to spread a little sunshine with her homespun craft, the disc is likely to leave all but the surliest listener feeling a little brighter at its end. David Sprague

All Music Guide

Blue on Blue, the debut solo album from the former lead singer of Sixpence None the Richer, is basically a natural evolution of her years honing her craft. The result is a very light and melodic record brimming with tight but not overly produced tracks that would fare well alongside Sarah McLachlan and Natalie Merchant, especially on the pretty opener "Along the Wall" that has sweet harmonies. She also manages to steal the spotlight with her soft, steady pipes on the tender midtempo and somewhat melancholic "Nervous in the Light of Dawn" that sounds like she's covering something by Stevie Nicks. A slight orchestral flair accenting the tune doesn't hurt either. Leigh Nash makes the melding of roots and folk with pop quite well judging by the cheerful toe-tapper "My Idea of Heaven" with its quaint melody and reggae-like vibe running underneath the song. The first ballad is the Coldplay-ish "Ocean Size Love" that has her sounding like a cross between Norah Jones and Dolly Parton with better than expected results. The biggest asset the album has is that there are no peaks, mainly because there are no valleys, with "Never Finish" being another surprising nugget of radio-friendly, adult contemporary pop. The first track that is at best adequate is "Between the Lines," which sounds like it has fallen through the cracks somewhat, a rather run-of-the-mill pop tune. A better effort is the cute "Angel Tonight" that brings to mind Michelle Branch or Vanessa Carlton in some respects, while she rocks out a bit with the edgier "Blue." The album concludes with "Just a Little," which has a distinct lullaby quality to it in the vein of the Beatles. ~ Jason MacNeil, All Music Guide