Throughout her career Charlotte Church has been known by a seletion of personas. The Voice of an Angel came first, followed by the TV Personality and then Heat Magazine Fixture. We’ve seen Church everywhere from Songs of Praise to drinking cheeky vimtos in her Cardiff local, but nothing seems to stick around for long.

The slightly forced faux-sexy pop of ‘Call My Name’ played host to Charlotte Church gyrating round her dressing room 5 minutes before stage call (so rock n’ roll), and ‘Crazy Chick’ was even worse. “You got me acting like a whacked out chick,” simpered Church whilst unconvincingly attempting hangover-chic; stretching her powerhouse vocals to about 2% of their full potential. At that stage she looked more industry puppet than independent musician.

Charlotte Church’s pop days are thankfully but faint memories now, only manifesting themselves as brief flashbacks, and these days she seems happy to do her own thing. Last September Church surprised us by releasing EP ONE and then renouncing the mainstream. Her new material was inventive, refreshing, and more concerned with the Leveson Enquiry than it was with Pie Jesu. The Kate Bush and Bat For Lashes comparisons flew in thick and fast, as did the legions of sceptics claiming this was yet another Church Persona. “It won’t last,” they muttered to themselves – Charlotte Church could not possibly hope to be alt.

Six months later, Church is back with her second installment, simply titled TWO. She has stuck to her guns, and with clunking percussion and plenty of carefully effective composition, it’s really rather listenable. ‘Glitterbombed’s overwrought chorus might sound like a number from Ke$ha: The Musical as she melodramatically howls “I’ve got glitter in my wounds”, but Church’s vocals are unmistakably flawless, yelping and skipping octaves with wonderful ease. It’s a welcome departure and she’s back as a soprano capable of smashing a wine glass with the sheer onslaught of vocals.

At other points Church is more restrained, although to far better effect than the stifled affectation of 2005. ‘Nerve’’s use of autotune is lifted straight from the likes of Bon Iver and Imogen Heap, and with guitar licks slinking along behind a plodding beat, it showcases Church’s vocal diversity, allowing her to spiral skyward like a rapidly uncoiling spring. Elsewhere, ‘Lasts, or Eschaton’ features twiddling sitar and echoing production.

On the whole TWO is a well-put-together sequel to Charlotte Church’s previous dabblings in the alternative, and ‘Nerve’ particularly stands out. It might not be perfect- ‘Breach of the Peace’ is aptly, and unfortunately named, because it stands out as a glaring weak point in proceedings – but its otherwise an effort worthy of respect. At times Church is not quite brave enough in her intentions, but she should be. Despite jests stemming from previous musical forays, TWO refreshingly shows an overlooked singer finally making music for herself. We’ll take it over ‘Ave Maria’ any day.