By Michael Osborn BBC News Online

Fame Academy winner Alex Parks: a different prospect to David Sneddon

But Pop Idol's more serious rival lived another day, and produced an intriguing winner in the guise of Alex Parks.

The elfin-faced, androgynous Cornish teenager seemed to offer something unusual compared to previous winner, squeaky-clean Scot David Sneddon.

This hastily-produced first album Introduction is a measure of whether Alex's raw talent has been squeezed dry
by the music industry hothouse she is suddenly part of.

Alex's debut offering falls into two neat halves of cover versions and originals.

An album produced at such speed has to feature songs ready to perform, and some are carried off with imagination.

Haunting

Yellow by Coldplay and Beautiful by Christina Aguilera were among Alex's best-loved Academy performances.

But a muscly reworking of Eurythmics' Here Comes The Rain Again stands out, along with the haunting Mad World by Tears For Fears.

The mawkish Imagine and Everybody Hurts fail to make such a favourable impression.

Debut single Maybe That's What It Takes is a fresh ballad which rumbles beautifully with feeling and suits Alex's unusual voice down to the ground.

Angsty wig-outs

Other original material turns up the heat with angsty wig-outs Dirty Pretty Words and Wandering Soul showing Alex is not caught in a musical rut.

Only Cry and Not Your Average Girl stumble into average territory, where moodiness sounds a little like boredom.

But as hastily-crafted albums go, this almost pulls it off, while Alex's unusual qualities have been afforded room to breathe.

Introduction by Alex Parks is out now on Polydor.

Has Alex Parks maintained her individuality on this debut album? This debate is now closed. Please see below for a selection of your comments.

I bought Alex's album and the first thing I noticed was that, even though it had some of Alex's original songs on it, it sounded too manufactured and recorded. We all fell in love with Alex's angst and angelic voice when it was live. I think she needs to capture that in her recorded music too. And don't be bullied into producing anything poppy because it's not you Alex! Stick to your gorgeous style! Maybe That's What It Takes is beautiful!
Jacqui, Oxford, England

An excellent album, extremely moving voice, although not up to the max yet. I was surprised by the flat arrangement of Not Your Average Kind of Girl, it sounded much richer on the BBC talent show with Carolynn as backing vocals and James on the piano. Apart from that, most songs sound fantastic. "Over Concious certainly my favourite, followed by Maybe That's What it Takes and "Dirty Pretty Words. If Polydor gives her space to develop we will hear even better albums during the next 30 years. Patience and strenght will be what Alex needs to keep up with her demanding fans. I wish her all the best.
Stefanie, UK/Germany

Brilliant just brilliant, Alex has a unique talent. What I can't understand is how she has been beaten to the no 1 spot by a band that does nothing but cover versions, even the no 2 slot has been taken by a band that are using another cover. Whatever happened to originality!!!
Sally Montague-Otridge, England

Good for such a rushed album. I hear the backlash against the Beeb has already started though.
Floppy, UK

Alex Parks is unique; whether it's singing her rendition of material previously performed by other artists, or whether it's performing her own works - she exudes individuality from every pore.

With regard to her debut album, she has managed to pull off her own version of other stars' material and to make it, for the purposes of this album at least, hers: nobody else does it like Alex, because Alex is a one-in-several-billion.

With one-off talent aplenty which could turn the heads of megastars, she gives every note and every syllable a special treatment as only Alex can.

With her special brand of multi-flavoured emotion and intuitive creation delivered in a style reflecting a maturity well beyond her years, yet still bubbling with rapturous strains of a fresh youth presented with enthusiasm - and that special something that is forever Alex.
Sharron Field, UK

It's simply depressing, probably a fair representation of her personality. Do we really need to hear songs that drive our minds into the gutter every time we hear them? Well I certainly don't! There were better people on Fame Academy this series that could out-perform Alex. This album is definitely NOT one to buy.
Michael Anderson, Scotland

I thought the album incredibly strong for a so called rushed job, except Imagine which she sang better live. I was pleasantly surprised, but the best stuff is her own songs. Watching the live streaming of FA, I knew what to expect from some songs because I saw them being written, but all I can say is WOW, bring on the 2nd album.
K Sneddon, UK

Got to disagree with you about Cry, (which is apparently the next single). Parks sings like a wounded animal on this track and it'll give you goose bumps. She has an uncanny knack for delivering excellent heart-rending tunes and Cry is the best of these on Introduction.

She easily stamps her own distinct flavour on the cover versions appearing on the album, giving them all a new lease of life. Of the original material, angry rocker Dirty Pretty Words has "hit single" written all over it - if it doesn't eventually get a release there'll be riots! Parks stands a mile apart from the watered down mainstream pop crowd. Her voice and style are unique and she's already an artist of outstanding quality. Congratulations Alex!
Jay, UK