Lisa Marie Presley

Newsnight Review discussed Lisa Marie Presley's first album, To Whom It May Concern.

(Edited highlights of the panel's review taken from the teletext subtitles that are generated live for Newsnight Review.)

BONNIE GREER:
She's good. I was pleasantly surprised. She does not sound like her dad at all. More like Alanis Morrisette, a deeper smokier voice. The arrangements are gorgeous. She's really good. My only sort of reservation is the songs she singing I don't now how to say this - they seem to be songs that someone younger would sing.

MARK LAWSON:
Don't the songs sound old, rather familiar.

BONNIE GREER:
Well they do sound a bit but it's still her own sort of voice. And she's extremely relaxed and confident.

MARK LAWSON:
On my right the runner up in Celebrity Fame Academy who should have won it, he was robbed. As a fine singer yourself, what did you make of it

KWAME KWEI-ARMAH:
To be 100% honest with you, with every track I couldn't get her father own of my head.. I went through the angst of what it must be like to carry the genes of the most famous man in rock 'n roll. I found the music not necessarily to my taste. But I would agree she does have an interesting voice and I found it a bit like the Morrisette, but not as passionate, youthful and angry maybe. And those are the things I want to hear when I listen to that type of music. Although I won't necessarily buy it, I would not slate it.

MARK LAWSON:
John Carey we're so aware of genetics. It's like looking at George W Bush, seeing the same President with a different face. Seeing her on those clips, it's his eyes, his nose, we didn't see her pelvis, not sure how far it goes, but however it works musically it's fascinating to just listen.

PROFESSOR JOHN CAREY:
The fame thing is fascinating. What is she but her father's daughter. I find it disappointing. I looked up on the internet and found an interview where she says she will get her own back on men and it will be anger turned into art. I played the CD and it didn't seem angry. It seemed tame. It seemed that commercial noise of someone without a lot of talent earning a lot of money.

MARK LAWSON:
She's going on tour. It's in performance that the fascination will be.

KWAME KWEI-ARMAH:
You were right. I wanted to see her hips. Wanted to see how they move. I think she will be a great performer, have something to give. I kind of wanted more.

BONNIE GREER:
But I think it's too bad. She should not be judged by her dad.

MARK LAWSON:
It's impossible though!

BONNIE GREER:
I know. I'm not a big Elvis fan. I'm more Public Enemy. She's fresh, new, finding her voice. She has got a voice and got a style. I hear what you say like sounding like noise, but the arrangements are beautiful.

PROFESSOR JOHN CAREY:
The resentment though is where she inherits $300 million. How much do you have to inherit before you're angry and resentful.

KWAME KWEI-ARMAH:
That's nothing to do with her music.