After Shazam-ing a song from a recent episode of The L Word, a friend later shared the results of her iPhone query, asking me whether I’d heard of Sharleen Spiteri. Indeed, I had, but completely missed mentioning her here.

The former vocalist for UK pop/rock group, Texas (a band that enjoyed a 20-year run but only limited success on these shores), Spiteri released Melody last July. While Texas had occasionally dipped into ’60s-style soul (check 1997’s “Black Eyed Boy” and 2001’s “When We Are Together”), this time Spiteri set the wayback machine for extended play, making her solo debut a delightful romp through ’60s pop history.

Though separated by thousands of miles, the Glascow, Scotland-born Spiteri can’t forget the Motor City. “It Was You,” “Don’t Keep Me Waiting,” and “Where Did It Go Wrong,” are fantastic homages to Motown girl groups like Diana Ross & The Supremes and Martha & The Vandellas. “All The Times I Cried” mines a similar vein, but Spiteri’s vocal owes a bigger debt to Dusty, and the song’s opening lyric is cribbed from the Shangri-Las’ “Out In The Streets” (sadly uncredited). The ghost of Lee Hazelwood’s collaborations with Nancy Sinatra hovers over “I’m Going To Haunt You,” while the album’s quiet closer, “Francoise” has a certain Paris Sisters‘ lilt to it.

Sonically, Melody is a standout, a noteworthy addition to the ‘throwback soul’ mini-genre that’s sprung up over the last couple of years from talents like Amy Winehouse, Adele, Duffy, et al. But there’s something to be said for this type of music, and more importantly, these sorts of themes, being delivered by a singer who’s lived a few decades. The 41-year-old Spiteri wrote or co-wrote the 11 tracks that make up Melody after ending a 10-year relationship, and the impact it had is felt throughout.

The album’s lead-off track, the aforementioned “It Was You,” directly addresses love’s demise, with Spiteri turning her heartbreak into a stomping kiss-off:

From start to finish, Melody delivers. I’m most impressed at just how committed Spiteri is to the Sixties spirit of her solo effort, whether wardrobe or album art (check the apropos font and the cardboard “crease” on the cover).

“Don’t Keep Me Waiting” was the track selected for The L Word, and in that lyrical spirit, I do hope it’s not too long before Melody sees a proper U.S. release. Spiteri is certainly deserving of a bigger than Texas-sized audience.

Purchase Sharleen Spiteri – Melody as an import via Amazon. A free download of bonus track “That Was A Lie” is available at her official site.