'Thank you' to Dido for latest album

Dido's new release, Life for Rent, might have been called No Angel II, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's just another CD full of Dido doing what she does best. Life for Rent is full of mellow pop songs with just-edgy-enough beats, performed with Dido's trademark breathiness. But this Dido is slightly more mature, more developed as a songwriter and more comfortable being sexy. She's not as squeaky-clean as she was on No Angel. \nThe songs, in general, are very similar to all of her previous songs. Dido's strength has always been introspection, and she keeps it up in her own eloquent way. The title track is a sleepy stunner, accessible to anyone who's ever wondered about their life's progress. \n"White Flag," the album's first single, will pull in a lot of casual Dido fans, but isn't necessarily the best song on this album. That particular award goes to "Who Makes you Feel," which is perhaps the hottest torch song to come out in a long while. Dido doesn't break new ground with this album, but she stays comfortable in the ground she's already made. If you liked No Angel, you'll love Life for Rent.