There’s more than a smidgen of visual irony adorning the cover of Sara Bareilles’ major label debut. With Bareilles’ face in soft focus, the image hones in on a small transistor radio she is holding in front of her mouth, inscribed with two labelmaker-made strips: “Little” and “Voice”. Will the tunes inside be whispered by a diminutive guitar-strumming waif and cradled in lo-fi production?

Nope, nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, Little Voice is comprised of 12 huge-sounding, vibrant, neatly-crafted songs performed by a singer-songwriter-pianist with a powerful voice that is well-versed in soul, rock, jazz, and pop. At the summation of these 49 minutes, it seems impossible that Bareilles has not had formal training in voice or piano.