''Lessons to Be Learned'' is the debut album by Australian singer-songwriter

Gabriella Cilmi Gabriella Lucia Cilmi ( ; ; born 10 October 1991) is an Australian pop singer and songwriter. A contralto, Cilmi is known for her distinctive raspy singing voice. Her debut album, '' Lessons to Be Learned'', was released in March 2008, becomin ...

. It was released in the United Kingdom on 31 March 2008 by

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in Jamaica by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in 1959, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, another ...

and in Australia on 10 May 2008 by

Mushroom Records Mushroom Records was an Australian flagship record label, founded in 1972 in Melbourne. It published and distributed many successful Australian artists and expanded internationally, until it was merged with Festival Records in 1998. Festival ...

. Co-written and produced by the team Xenomania, the album takes its title from a line in the song " Sweet About Me", which became a worldwide hit.

Background

Speaking in July 2008 to Pete Lewis of the magazine ''

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'', Cilmi explained the meaning behind the album title: Several different versions of the album have been released with varying track lists, without there being one edition including all released tracks. On some early printings, "Messy" was not included. Tracks such as "Round and Round", "Sorry" and "Warm This Winter" were included as bonus tracks on only some editions of the album. A track titled "Sad Sad World" appeared only on a promotional UK version of the album.

Critical reception

''Lessons to Be Learned'' received generally mixed reviews from critics. Sharon Mawer from

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

called it "a good debut album" and praised Cilmi's "confidence" and range of styles, however did not feel the album was original, saying "it had all been heard before, many times in a crowded market". Mawer also compared her vocals and styles to artists including

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, and Duffy. ''Daily Music Guide'' gave the album a generally mixed-to-negative review, calling "Sweet About Me" "slightly irritating" and also noted "if you expected Sweet About Me"to give you a preview of what her debut album might sound like, you would be wrong". "Save the Lies" and "Sit in the Blues" were considered highlights of the album, while "Awkward Game" and "Einstein" were criticised for having "too much gloss". Mike Joseph from ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...

'' considered Cilmi an

Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer, songwriter, musician, and businesswoman. With over 30 million records sold worldwide, she was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix ...

clone, yet without "a fraction of the wit or lived-in soulfulness that ''

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'' (or even Winehouse's debut, '' Frank'') possessed." Joseph also said he found himself "praying ''Lessons to Be Learned'' will end quickly". He highlighted "Safer" and "Sit in the Blues", but compared Cilmi negatively to fellow artists such as Winehouse,

Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (; born 5 May 1988) is an English singer-songwriter. Regarded as a British cultural icon, icon, she is known for her mezzo-soprano vocals and sentimental songwriting. List of awards and nominations received by Adele, ...

and Duffy.

Track listing

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{Authority control 2008 debut albums Gabriella Cilmi albums Albums produced by Xenomania ARIA Award–winning albums Island Records albums