From her first ever single, the air-wave-hogging ‘I’m Outta Love’, in 2000, Anastacia has been a household name for fans of strong and soulful voices. In 2003 she was treated for breast cancer and fortunately responded well to treatment, but it naturally took its toll on her and she developed a tougher, rockier style, more of a fighting sound, for her third album. The music on her latest offering "Heavy Rotation" is a good blend of up-beat dance tracks and softer slow pop tracks. With "Heavy Rotation" she has made a highly successful return to her soulful roots.

Anastacia’s distinct raspy voice is her main selling point and it certainly doesn’t let her down here. She sings with plenty of light and shade, matching emotional lyrics such as ‘All through the year/ Long after sunny days have gone away/ You shine your rays on me’ with cheeky sentiments like ‘Yea I’m/ Absolutely positively/ Certain that I’m not sure that I love you any more’. "Heavy Rotation" is an album to make you drum the wheel in the car, to strut your stuff to at a party or to sit back in your favourite lounge chair and get back to strong, basic soul at its best.

This is the perfect present for anyone prone to dancing around the lounge or wiggling their bums on their chairs at work. "Heavy Rotation" is a triumphant return for an amazing artist who has travelled through pain to emerge stronger than ever before. Mercury Records 2008.

Anna Solding