From the Inside

Italian superstar Laura Pausini has flirted with American audiences via a few soundtrack appearances but approaches a full-blown love affair on From the Inside, her glittering English-language debut on Atlantic. In addition to the delightfully life-affirming first single, "Surrender," the set is packed with melodious jewels, covering all tempos and moods with maturity and ease. The set capitalizes on Pausini's splendid gift of painting downer songs with flecks of pain and sadness, particularly on likely second single "I Need Love" and the aching "It's Not Good-bye" (which she co-wrote). Throughout, the songbird is partnered with a who's who of pop writers and producers, iron-coating the album with the polish of the big leagues. Pausini is a singer with unusual depth and warmth, and a welcome presence in the U.S.'s pop-starved music landscape. With From the Inside, a star is born.—CT