Birdy, ‘Without a Word’ – Song Review

U.K. teen Jasmine van den Bogaerde, otherwise known as Birdy, sounds like an old soul on 'Without a Word,' an original composition from her debut record.

'Without a Word' is the only song written by Birdy on her self-titled album, which mostly features covers of indie favorites like Bon Iver's 'Skinny Love,' the Postal Service's 'The District Sleeps Alone Tonight,' Fleet Foxes' 'White Winter Hymnal' and Phoenix's '1901.'

It's hard to listen to a piano-based, emotional breakup ballad by a British female artist without thinking of Adele, and 'Without a Word' is no 'Someone Like You.' But that's an unfair standard for almost anybody, let alone a 15-year-old still honing her songwriting craft.

'Without a Word' reveals the strong vocals that helped Birdy win the UK Open Mic competition in 2008 at age 12. The melody is a bit plain, but we can definitely feel her heartbreak. At the very least, the track shows a lot of promise and has us eager to hear more original music from the young performer.

Birdy's album was just released in the U.S., and she has a spot on 'The Hunger Games' soundtrack, which is expected to enter the album chart at No. 1 next week. 'Without a Word' also is currently available now as a free iTunes download.

Listen to Birdy's 'Without a Word'