La Roux

La Roux

Label: Cherry Tree

Grade: A-

Rocks like: Little Boots,… La Roux

La Roux

Label: Cherry Tree

Grade: A-

Rocks like: Little Boots, Ladyhawke

There’s only one thing more attention-grabbing than Elly Jackson’s crop of bright red hair — her music.

Finally arriving on U.S. soil, British pop star Jackson’s (better known as La Roux, which appropriately means red hair in French) self-titled debut album delivers precisely the type of electro-pop hits that energetically pull you out of a music rut.

The girl knows how to pump out electronic hits with an edge. The album is reminiscent of the ’80s while remaining relevant to the modern music scene.

From start to finish, La Roux sounds like she knows how to entertain a crowd. Almost every song on the album could be a chart topper. Standout songs include “In For the Kill,” “Tigerlily” and “Quicksand.” The infectious “Bulletproof” will reverberate in your head for days.

While La Roux certainly shows a diverse range of talent, her slower songs aren’t nearly as strong as her club smashes. Synth-punctuated “Cover My Eyes,” for example, isn’t her best stuff.

Her vocals aren’t particularly strong from a technical standpoint, either. Jackson sounds like she’s perpetually trying to sing higher than her range allows. Rather than being a disruption, however, her voice adds character, giving an otherwise standard pop album a bit of edge.

Add this album to your Saturday night playlist immediately. It’ll deliver good results.