Although it should have been issued the previous year and Imperial Records even had a catalog designation reserved for the project (LP-9275), Irma Thomas' second long-player for the label also turned out to be her last. The vocalists professional relationship with songwriter/producer Allen Toussaint had been established several years earlier on the R&B hit "It's Raining." Here, he supplies a third of the disc's material beginning with the optimistic and stylishly orchestrated "Take a Look" -- giving the album both its title track and opening selection. The upbeat and sassy "Teasing, But Your Pleasing" is another Toussaint-penned tune and exemplifies the symbiosis between the artist and composer as the catchy melody and Thomas' carefree delivery are a custom fit. That certainly isn't to imply that she has lost any of her emotive capacity, as she so aptly demonstrates throughout the effort, and nowhere more so than "I Haven't Got Time to Cry," or Jerry Ragavoy's "You Don't Miss a Good Thing (Until It's Gone)" -- arguably William Bell's blueprint for "You Don't Miss Your Water." Thomas resonates a similar sensitivity on "It's Starting to Get to Me Now" sounding like a Dionne Warwick protégé thanks to the Burt Bacharach-like chord progressions and writing style of up-and-coming songsmith and producer Van McCoy. Still nearly a decade away from creating his own hits -- most notably the chart-topping dance monster "The Hustle" -- McCoy contributed a total of four selections. While his arrangement of "Some Things You Never Get Used To" could be an homage to the Bacharach/David classic "Walk on By," the edgier "He's My Guy" is an ideal match of singer and song as Thomas' attitude seethes right below the surface of her graceful delivery. Fans of Northern U.K. soul often rank the infectiously buoyant "Baby, Don't Look Down" among their favorite discotheque spins dedicated to preserving the spirit of the music and times. Wrapping up Take a Look are a final pair from Toussaint with the cheery and definitely Motown-inspired "What Are You Trying to Do." "Wait, Wait, Wait," on the other hand, is unique as it reflects Toussaint's early influence and love of '40s and '50s country and western music. One could easily hear Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee, or Loretta Lynn lending their respective intonations to it. ~ Lindsay Planer, Rovi

温暖慵懒的轻吟、纯净恬淡的曲风与有如夏夜微风的爵士情调，让肯妮贝儿Corinne Bailey Rae自2006年起缔造无数傲人成绩。2006年肯妮贝儿以首张同名专辑《追风箏的女孩Corinne Bailey Rae》空降英国金榜冠军，成为该排行榜近30年来，继安妮蓝妮克丝Annie Lennox与娜塔莎Natasha Bedingfield后，第三位以首张作品空降专辑榜冠军的新进女歌手。这样的表现无愧英国BBC国家广播电台网站，当初誉她为「2006年十大闪耀推荐新星Sound of 2006」的头号代表。首张同名专辑发行后，获得英美乐评一致高分推荐，纷纷预告一颗即将照亮世界的璀璨新星已经诞生。这样的预言在2006年进入尾声之际确实得到印证：肯妮贝儿的首张同名专辑除了荣获英国音乐权威杂誌Mojo，选为2006年度最佳专辑之一；在英国著名杂誌Q主办的Q Awards颁奖典礼上，肯妮贝儿更突破重围一举拿下「年度最佳新人Best New Act Award」的大奖。
出生英国里兹的肯妮贝儿，自小在一般教堂礼拜中演唱诗歌展现天生好歌喉，学生时期攻读古典音乐，并拉得一手绝佳小提琴才能，随后在获得人生第一把电吉他，开啟肯妮音乐另一扇门，同时开始试著词曲创作。签入EMI音乐集团前，肯妮早已累积十年演唱经历，简洁纯净恬淡创作风格，揉合各种不同音乐对她的影响，完成此张倍受讚誉的首张同名专辑。当中更不乏放克灵魂作品〈Call Me When You Get This〉，并佐以典雅弦乐点缀；〈Choux Pastry Heart〉带著微甜鬆软音感谱写出对於情爱世界期望，让人徜徉在一个不见压力的男女亲密关係之中；而〈Butterfly〉以及打造爵士灵魂外衣的〈Seasons Change〉，都是肯妮展现令人震撼且最具实力之明证。
肯妮贝儿在迈入2007年之际，可说完全绽放她的光芒，不但常驻销售排行榜，更在2007年全英音乐奖Brit Awards中获得「全英最佳女歌手British Female Solo Artist」、「全英年度最佳单曲British Single」以及「全英年度最佳新人British Breakthrough Act」三项提名。她的魅力同时横扫大西洋彼岸，在第49届葛莱美音乐奖Grammy Awards公布的入围名单中，肯妮贝儿亦为「年度最佳歌曲Song of the Year」、「年度最佳录音Record of the Year」以及「年度最佳新人Best New Artist」等热门奖项的候选人，而她在全美的唱片销量更已大破白金。