It's good to know that CDs haven't totally disappeared off the collective radar yet, despite declining sales.

Because, late in the year though it may be, the slow trickle of local album releases is turning into, if not a flood then certainly a steady stream. The next few weeks will be largely turned over to looking at these albums which, by my latest count, include Natural World from Shejus Greedy (being launched tonight, Friday 31, at Brewer's Bar at the Mount – it'll be a great gig!), Dave Roy's latest musical offering, a new acoustic set from usually hard-driving R&B purveyors Brilleaux, and another laid-back collection from The Self-Righteous Brothers called Social Fretwork.

First up there's Sometimes from Leilani.

Leilani Taula is a remarkable singer. Part of the praise she has been getting is down to her age – she won the Best Vocalist Award at the National Youth Jazz Competition here in Tauranga and recorded this album when she was 15 - but, bottom line, she really sings well.

A couple of years ago she hooked up musically with Tim Julian at the Colourfield Studio in Welcome Bay and they have been working on Sometimes ever since, combining a handful of Leilani's original songs with a couple of Tim's and a smattering of favourites from her live performances. And it's a terrific piece of work.

The core band for the album is drummer Jed Dawkins, Abbie Smith on acoustic guitar and Tim himself, providing the drums and keyboards throughout as well as the odd guitar and bits of percussion. He has also brought in some of Tauranga's finest to round things off and there are appearances by guitarists Derek Toner (9 Mile Stone), Trevor Collings, Sean Bodley, as well as a cameo from Marion Arts on ukulele.

There are two first impressions: Leilani sings – as I've mentioned – really well and Tim has done a superb job of the music. The sound throughout is rich and full, with almost a retro-eighties vibe coming through, which I'm told is very fashionable. Frankly I've lost track of which decade it is currently fashionable to be reviving but friends tell me the sound is very current in the mainstream. I tend not to swim in that particular stream but it's good to know.
More exactly it's a big sound, solid drums and a warm wall of instruments, all beautifully recorded.

The cover gives a good feel for the generally uplifting and youthful feel of the songs which kick off with Leilani's ‘The Journey' where she declares herself ready (for life, the future). It could also be a song of faith but the lyric is nicely ambiguous. From there it's straight into one of the albums covers, Sarah McLachlan's ‘Angel', a song that Leilani has sung with success in competitions. It's a big rock ballad, oft-covered, that she handles with aplomb and without over-singing or falling into American Idol excesses.

Tim's two songs are also good to hear, the first, ‘17 To Me' a very catchy little tune with a touch of Paul McCartney in its detailed domestic lyric. With the sixties name-checked in the words it's a bit of a shock to realise that Leilani's singing about times nearly 40 years before she was born.

This really is a first album to be proud of, and one that sounds more accomplished than any first outing has any right to be. If there is a slight disconnect it comes from the choice of cover songs (‘I Can't Stand The Rain', ‘Killing Me Softly', ‘I Got the Music in Me') which seem a little odd, and old, against the flow of the originals. But that is a minor quibble. They certainly give Leilani a chance to show off different aspects of her vocal style.

I don't know what plans Leilani has for her musical future (and I'm not sure if she does either), but on the strength of songs like her own ‘Strong' and ‘Cheesy, I Know' and the maturity and control of her singing, along with the warmth and range of her voice and her ability to express subtle emotions I hope she pursues whatever musical dreams she may have.

You can check out Sometimes at www.fragilecolours.com