In some ways, Heather Nova is more talented than many of her female singer/songwriter contemporaries. She has an appealing voice, strong lyrics and memorable melodies — that is, when she delivers. Unfortunately, many of her albums are uneven, with Nova delivering the goods as often as she misses the mark. The best moments on her second album, Oyster, rank among her very best work, demonstrating that she can pull off ballads, guitar-pop and hard rock with equal aplomb. The rest of the album isn't so much bad as it is bland, offering lesser versions of the good stuff. Certainly, Nova makes Oyster worth exploring — it's just a little frustrating that the entire album didn't deliver on the promise of its best moments. Stephen Thomas Erlewine (All Music Guide)

The hooky, upbeat "Walk This World" sounds like a major hit, but it's merely the most accessible side of a feverish, poetic artist who'll be compared more to Sarah McLachlan and Sinead O'Connor than to Sheryl Crow. Lush melodies abound, but some tracks ("Island," "Sugar") have an intensity worthy of Patti Smith, and there's emotional blood on tracks like "Blue Black." Other highlights on this edgy, affecting debut are "Maybe an Angel" and "Throwing Fire at the Sun." Jeff Bateman (Amazon.com)

From the opening beat and "Come Together"-style bass line of Oyster's kick-off track, "Walk This World," it's clear that London, England's Heather Nova has been waiting a long time to lend her writing talents to a studio creation. The last few years have seen the former Bermuda Sound-area native releasing numerous home demos and powerful live recordings, but it's only now that we get to hear some of these songs in their fully orchestrated beauty. The intricate arrangements and harmonies found on tracks like the eerie, explosive "Sugar" and the amazing, haunting "Light Years" couldn't possibly be captured as accurately live as they have been here. Additionally, the occasional heady slatherings of electric guitar and thundering drums communicate each track's intensity more clearly in the studio setting. While Nova's vibrato-laced high register sometimes recalls a more breathy and controlled version of Kate Bush, tracks like "Verona," with its conversely soothing and wonderfully subtle, flowing harmonies, reveal Nova's consummate ability to create mood and atmosphere, sometimes using only the timbre of her voice. Add to all this the fact that Oyster has already become one of Europe's most successful indie albums of the year, selling over 200,000 copies to date, and you can be sure Heather Nova is be an artist to keep an eye on in the near future. Also super: the glimmering "Maybe An Angel" and the transcendental "Walking Higher."(CMJ New Music Report Issue: 444 - Sep 25, 1995)