I’ll lay it bare from the outset: I do not have a history of love for Lisa Mitchell. Mark Holden was obsessed with her on that talent show but I, myself, didn’t quite get it.
Post-Idol, however, that slowly began to change. Her first EP, Said One to the Other, was nice enough – yet it was 2008’s Welcome to the Afternoon that made my ears perk up, showing an interesting blend of post-country (“See You When Get Here”) and Weepies-inspired folk-pop (“Neopolitan Dreams”) that wouldn’t be out of place on a Bravia television advertisement.
2009 brings us Mitchell’s debut long-play – which, to my surprise, I found myself purchasing late one night. The record store clerk perhaps should have been my first clue as to what to expect – “oh, it’s very nice” she said, somewhat non-commitedly. Another musically-inclined friend should have been the second – “oh, it’s very sweet”.
After the first listen, it was tempting to write this album off entirely. Sure, it still had “Neopolitan Dreams” and the slightly off-kilt lead single “Coin Laundry”, but there was nothing immediately striking about the rest of the material. Pleasant? Yes. Melodic? Indeed. Earth-shattering? Pass me the Nutella.
By the third listen, my thoughts have changed somewhat. While still lacking anything as musically exciting as “See You When You Get Here”, Wonder does contain a number of nice moments. “Jealous” has the unexpected swagger of a young Sheryl Crow (with some nice harmonica action to boot) while “Clean White Love” wouldn’t be out of place on an Old Man River album. 
It is the slower, self-penned “Love Letter” that reveals Mitchell to be a surprisingly strong, highly personal songwriter and emotive performer. “Inside an old house, by the seaside, you can take off my blouse, but take it from me; I’m disorderly and you’d be off better writing someone else your love letter ’cause I’m always on the road“. It sums up what is most surprising (and impressive) about this album – the unexpected warmth and honesty it radiates.
With Julia Stone seemingly on hiatus, Mitchell may have just established herself as the benchmark in fragile, Australian folk-pop. Maybe Mark Holden was right after all.
Find out more at Lisa’s official website.
Dark Cafe Daze 