Jeannine Hebb - Whileaway

Jeannine Hebb - Whileaway
2011, Jeannine Hebb

Jeannine Hebb has one of the bestpure voices in Indie Rock. Her stunning debut EP Too Late To Change Meannounced the Brooklyn based singer/songwriter to the world four years ago. Itwouldn't have been surprising to see Hebb regress a bit on her second recordedeffort, but Whileaway finds Hebb leaping forward rather than steppingback. Her penetrating voice, distinctive melodies and emotionally intelligentlyrics make for an unforgettable combination. Comparisons to Fiona Apple, AlexaRay Joel and Tori Amos may seem appropriate at times through Whileaway,but it becomes eminently clear before long that Jeannine Hebb's sound and styleare entirely her own.

Whileaway opens with "Call Him Out", a cute number writtenearly in heartbreak. She wonders why no one intervenes. The effort isintriguing, and has the feel of a pop-opera or new Broadway composition. Hebbcreates and enlivens a character here that's entirely believable in herself-pity and self-victimization. The melody is entirely memorable, and Hebbsings with a voice that could grace any stage. "I Believe" is asoulful ballad that shows off the many colors and gorgeous tone of her voice."Back To Me Again" is written from a position of power, with aformer, misbehaving beau trying to his way back into her life. The edgy rockarrangement almost seems to hide a country heart, but Hebb builds a wonderfullyintricate chorus that will keep your toes tapping.

"Tell Me No" shows awonderfully human bit of dysfunction, wrapped up in a theatrical aria that'sabsolutely unforgettable. The combination of neurotic need and honestvulnerability plays out perfectly against the simple piano-based arrangement."Heartache" deals with the darkness that follows a relationship, withthe resolution that she won't make the same mistake again. Once again, Hebbcarries a stage presence into the song, and a diva-like voice that wends itsway through the vaguely Mediterranean melody. Edge and beauty come togetherhere, like the brittle, icy rim of a puddle on a frosty morning."Don't" continues to dance on the emotional ledge, in that dark placebetween capitulation and recovery. Strength grows in the chorus, where shefights back against the causes of her heartbreak. Hebb's sense of compositionhere is amazing, using all of the instruments in her palette to build sound inwaves that crash over the listener much as the emotions that inspired the songmight once have engulfed her.

"These Days" is amelancholy exploration told in the form of a personal ballad. Hebb's (or hercharacter's) personal thoughts born into song alongside a lovely, fluid melody,offer a wonderfully quiet yet powerful moment of pure emotion, and allowlisteners a glimpse into Hebb's upper vocal range as well. "Goodbye"takes on a slightly edgier feel, as Hebb begins to separate herself from thesource of her heartache. Unlike the songs that came before, there's more of ananalytical slant this time around, as Hebb explains her reasons for going. Inthe process she builds gorgeous song architecture that befits the sprouting ofnew chutes into a bare emotional spring that must follow every winter.

"Tragedy" is arelationship post-mortem in the medium of bluesy pop. Hebb belts and croons herway through the moment, speaking not out of anger but out of fact. The dynamicarrangement is too complex for pop radio, but is very appealing nonetheless."Low" alternates a workman-like verse with an airy, one-word chorus.The split is interesting, and the neo-baroque glue that holds the twodistinctive pop styles together will keep listeners very much on their toes.Hebb closes with "Make It Right", a dark confessional that throws allof the previous resolution in doubt. What's appeared to be a general migrationtoward healing is left in the emotional turmoil of one who almost made itthrough, but is on the verge of getting sucked back in to the relationship thatstarted it all. The personal appeal here is compelling, and Hebb delivers itwith a voice and presence that combine all of the personal glamour of abig-time pop star and all of the pastiche of a veteran of the stage.

Whileaway is the sort of album you park in your CD/MP3 player and playagain and again. Jeannine Hebb shows that her debut EP was anything but a flukewith a performance that is subtle and complex beyond her years, both musicallyand lyrically. With a voice that would be welcome on any stage, anywhere and anamazing depth of songwriting ability, it's hard to imagine Jeannine Hebb asbeing anything less than a star one day. Whileaway is nothing less thana Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars(Out of 5)

Learn more about Jeannine Hebb at www.jeanninehebb.com or www.myspace.com/jeanninehebb. 

              CD                 Download                 iTunes


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The Best Is Yet To Come - The Songs Of Cy Coleman

TheBest Is Yet To Come - The Songs Of Cy Coleman

2009,New West Records

Cy Coleman, née Seymour Kaufmanfound success in the classical and jazz worlds before finding his true calling- Broadway. He didn't let being late to the game stop him from having a stellarcareer, however, garnering 5 Tony Awards, 3 Emmy Awards and 2 Grammys beforehis untimely death in 2004. Coleman gave birth to the scores and songs of suchshows as Sweet Charity, City Of Angels, The Life, The Will Rogers Follies,and Barnum. In the process, Coleman, created songs and shows that continuesto have an impact on Broadway even today. It's not surprising, then, thatColeman would be honored with a compilation such as The Best Is Yet To Come- The Songs Of Cy Coleman.

The voices here might surprise you.Artists as diverse as Patty Griffin, Madeleine Peyroux, Sam Phillips, FionaApple, Nikka Costa and Jill Sobule offer up their talents in a stunning,stealthy collection that will take you by surprise. Griffin surprises with awonderful sultry and soulful take on "The Best Is Yet To Come", whileFiona Apple lights up the night with "Why Try To Change Me Now" and"I Walk A Little Faster", showing off an impressive upper range inthe latter that you might not suspect from her more alt-pop oriented originals.Madeleine Peyroux and Sam Phillips turn in solid outings on "I Live MyLife" and "You Fascinate Me So", respectively, and Nikka Costais a pleasant surprise on "The Rules Of The Road".

The true gems here, however, are theones you don't see coming. Julianna Raye brings an amazingly earthy and tonallybuoyant voice to "I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life", whileSarabeth Tucek hits all the right notes on "Where Am I Going?” Even JillSobule shows a surprising versatility on "I've Got Your Number". Thehighlight of the disc, however, is the closing performance of "(I'm) InLove Again" by Missy Higgins.

Cy Coleman left an indelible mark onAmerican Musical Theater. The songs presented on The Best Is Yet To Come -The Songs Of Cy Coleman, are the proof in the pudding. This is perhaps oneof the most inspired composer collections to emanate from Broadway in sometime.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Cy Coleman at Notable Music.

              CD                        Vinyl               Download                      iTunes


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Zaz - Zaz

Zaz - Zaz
2010, SIN

Zaz (née Isabelle Geffroy) has taken Europe by storm with her combination of jazz and modern Chanson.  The Francophile singer/songwriter earned Platinum certification in her native France, and Platinum certification in Belgium, Switzerland and Poland for her debut album, Zaz.  In 2011, Zaz sets her sights on America, a more challenging prospect considering all the songs on Zaz are sung solely in French.  A listen to her husky, dramatic alto will convince you, however; Zaz is her to stay.

Zaz opens with "Les Passants", presenting a stirring contrast between Zaz' intriguing, edgy voice and the almost lazy swing of the arrangement.  The vocal harmonies here are a pleasure to the ear; the instrumentalists top notch.  "Je Veux", the first single is a catchy number, with Zaz sounding like a cross between Fiona Apple and Jeneen Terrana.  This song spent nine weeks at #1 on the French SNEP charts, and it's easy to see why.  "Le Long De La Route" is driven alt-folk with a great melody that gets stuck in your noggin even if the lyrics are incomprehensible to you.  "La Fée" sounds eerily familiar, as if elements of America's "Sister Golden Hair" got caught in a time warp and ended up here.  The arrangement is lovely and haunting, with Zaz keeping the vocals low key in a fetching effort.

Zaz gets conversational on "Trop Sensible", which might work better for those fluent in French.  There's not a lot of spark in this one, however, regardless your primary tongue.  Zaz turns things around with "Prends Garde A Ta Langue", an incredibly catchy bit of soulful swing with hints of a big band sound.  The melody line here is absolutely infectious, and is wrapped up in an arrangement that fits it like a glove.  On "Ni Oui Ni Non", Zaz blends jazz and rockabilly in intriguing fashion, creating a song so virulently the catch the CCD might need to be dispatched.  Zaz' voice completes the intrigue, filling up with empty spaces within the arrangement with a sound so wonderfully nuanced and warm you might forget where you are for a moment.

"Port Colton" is a song of contrasts, exploring regret and sorrow in Zaz' wonderfully warm voice against the backdrop of an emotionally bleak arrangement.  Somewhere in the middle Zaz finds the beauty of human heartache, and compels the listener to feel, believe and understand the moment.  "J'aime A Nouveau" lightens the mood, a love song with a lighter feel and a swaying melody that says everything will be all right.  "Dans Ma Rue" is more of a jazz recitative, showing off Zaz' exemplary sense of melody and pacing in song.  Zaz closes out with a different sound on "Eblouie Par La Nuit", taking a foray into classic rock sound and expanding her vocal range in the process.  It's a very successful diversion that perhaps speaks of directions to come.

Listening to Zaz is something of a revelation.  The language barrier will likely be a difficult one to cross in the US, but Zaz' voice, penchant for British style melody and the quality of her songwriting might just make it work.  Zaz will certainly catch on in Canada, and an album of like quality recorded in English might just find Zaz conquering the US charts in time as well.  It's unfortunate that the U.S. tends to be somewhat closed to foreign language artists, because Zaz is a great album, pure and simple.  It certainly deserves to be a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Zaz at www.zazofficial.com or www.myspace.com/zazofficiel.  Zaz is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Lisa Jaeggi - Epic Epic

Lisa Jaeggi - Epic Epic

2011, Modern Vintage Recordings

Lisa Jaeggi is a New York City-based singer/songwriter originally from Silver Spring, Maryland.  Finding her way to New York after college to pursue her musical dreams, Jaeggi has become a force in the Indie music scene in Brooklyn and beyond with her original mix of folk, pop, soul and hip-hop.  On July 5, 2011, Jaeggi releases her debut album, Epic Epic, on New York's own Modern Vintage Records.

Epic Epic opens with gentle folk/rock cadence of "Whether He Knows", which is commercial enough to perhaps garner serious licensing attention, but stripped down enough to have an anti-pop sheen.  "Come Hell Or High Water" is a personal manifesto for making the most of life.  The low-key arrangement allows Jaeggi's dark, soulful alto to reign supreme here, although the dynamics of the vocal line aren't, perhaps, what they might be.  "Menlike Gods" is one of the first songs Jaeggi wrote after moving to New York, and expresses frustration with the actions of power brokers, politicians, and in particular, then-president George W. Bush.  Although dated at this point in, Jaeggi's political and spiritual observations carry weight in light of the events of the day.

"Oh Lady You Shot Me" is a treatise on expectations, awareness and relationships.  Addressing such classic relationship themes as fate and timing, Jaeggi waits for the one she wants.  The song is like a personal diary entry, written poetically and sung with a quiet urgency born of patient expectation.  "Empirical Science" utilizes a talk/sing style while detailing Jaeggi's efforts at moving forward in the big city.  It's an acknowledgement of the realities of life set to a vibrant and peppy-yet-low key folk/pop arrangement.  If there's a definitive single on the album, this song is it.  "All Over Now" is a melancholy folk recitative on the passing of a relationship.  Jaeggi sounds like a guitar-based Fiona Apple here, complete with a sort of pouty fatalism.  "Heartache" is a song of mixed messages and missed intentions; melancholy in mood.  The song plays like a 1960's pop ballad, adding in flamenco garnishes on guitar.  Jaeggi says goodnight with the most optimistic song on the album, "All The Good".  It's a celebration of the goodness that remains in people even when all else has been forgotten, and the delicate balance of the human heart.  Jaeggi falls prey to the use of redundant musical phrases to fill space here, but the base of the song is a solid listen.

After listening to Lisa Jaeggi's demo recording last year, it's hard not to expect big things out of her debut album.  Most of those expectations are met.  Jaeggi is a plus songwriter with a distinctive talent with words, doling out intelligent dialectics on politics, religion, social justice and human relationships in neatly crafted folk/pop arrangements.  What are missing are the outer bounds of Jaeggi's dynamic personality.  The elements of persona apparent on her demo recording have been rounded and smoothed this time around in the studio.  Consequently, the power of Jaeggi’s songs is blunted at the hands of production.  Epic Epic is a solid debut album from a highly talented songwriter and performer, but one can't help but think that in the hands of a different producer it could have been much more.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Lisa Jaeggi at www.lisajaeggi.com or www.myspace.com/lisajaeggi.  Epic Epic is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.

Lovebettie - The Red Door EP

Lovebettie - The Red Door EP
2010, Lovebettie

Pittsburgh quartet Lovebettie practice their own proprietary blend of rock, pop and cutting edge soul.  Dubbed “Swagger Rock”, Lovebettie is one of the hottest acts in western Pennsylvania.  Showing a distinctive musical talent, Lovebettie struggles with their more commercial instincts on The Red Door EP.  Produced by Jim Wirt (Incubus, Fiona Apple, Hoobastank), The Red Door EP is the story of a band still trying to figure out their musical direction, but full of enough talent to succeed whichever they choose.

The Red Door EP opens with "Red Roses", a catchy rock n roll number with a walking bass line that grabs hold of listeners right out of the gate.  Alexandra Naples sings in a powerful and appealing voice over an angular guitar style that is appealing.  "Not Quite Right" opens with a killer bass riff that drives the song.  The stolid but catchy pop/rock chorus is a perfect complement here, filled with vocal harmonies that fill out the sound.  "Are You Out There" starts out with just piano and grows into a power ballad.  It's a bit bland and formulaic, but solid.  "Other Side" is a middle of the road album track that gets stuck in the momentum of "Are You Out There".  The Red Door EP closes with "Monsters", a catchy, guitar-driven number.  Naples is in fine voice, but the production choices here do her no favors. 

Lovebettie shows real potential on The Red Door EP, dancing on the edge of a highly original sound at times, but ultimately getting sucked into the formulaic sounds of Edge radio bands.  Much of this seems to be more of an issue of production choices overriding musical ones.  The Red Door EP wants to be itself, but ends up being a little too much like too many other songs on the radio to truly stand out.  ­­Alexandra Naples has a distinctive voice, but is too often hidden in the wash of sound here.  Bassist Dan Mulkeen is truly fantastic, and deserves a little more opportunity to make some hay like he does on the first two tracks.  If Lovebettie commits to the commercial sound they'll be very successful as a band.  If they commit to the more creative sides that are hinted at on The Red Door EP, they'll be very successful as artists.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Lovebettie at www.myspace.com/lovebettie or www.facebook.com/lovebettie.   The Red Door EP is available digitally from Amazon.com and iTunes.

Aoede - Affair With The Muse

Aoede - Affair With The Muse
2011, Aoede Muse Music

Dermatomyositis is a rare connective-tissue disease that weakens the immune system, muscles and skin.  When this disease struck Lisa Sniderman, AKA Aoede, in 2008, it came from out of the blue.  Aoede was still basking in the recognition generated by her debut album, Push And Pull, which won Aoede recognition for Top Artist of the Year and Top Album of the Decade from WomenRadio.com.  In September of 2010, Sniderman's condition worsened, requiring a 24-day hospital stay and intensive treatment and therapy.  Aoede made music a part of the therapeutic process, and the result is a new seven-track album entitled Affair With The Muse.

Aoede opens with "Fairy Tale Love", a 1950's pop vocal number dressed up in modern folk/pop clothing.  Party Disney and part dysfunctional romance movie, "Fairy Tale Love" explores wanting that perfect love story.  Aoede's sweetly anachronistic voice dances with the melody line to create a sweet opening moment.  "Does Your Heart Ever Stop Feeling" starts with an 'oom-pah' beat, much like a parade march.  Aoede will remind listeners of Kate Bush and Tori Amos here, with an intriguing vocal line that makes up in character what it occasionally loses in pure tone.  "Crave Me" speaks from the midst of a comfortable relationship, asking to be placed ahead of the day-to-day considerations of the world, even if for a little while.  This heartfelt number is honest and real, written from the heart of someone who just wants to be seen as she once was.  Off to a great start, the album slows down somewhat from there. "If You Already Know" has a bit of a cabaret feel, but is otherwise somewhat bland.  Aoede creates an interesting characterization of love in "Love Proof", but "Fall On Your Deaf Ears" is a bit too close to cliché in trying to save a relationship tilting into the wind.  Aoede closes strong with "What You Got".  Part pep talk and part motivational aid (i.e. kick in the rear), the song is entertaining and impassioned and full of heart.

Just like people, sometimes music soars and sometimes it survives.  Aoede does a bit of both here, which is incredibly fitting given the circumstances under which Affair With The Muse was born.  Aoede's quirky folk/pop sensibilities mix with both light and dark on her latest album, sometimes throwing up glorious sparks of song, while at others simply documenting the passage of time and the survival of creation; of life itself.  While Affair With The Muse may not stand as Aoede's best work in time, it might be her most compelling.  You can't help but think, listening to Aoede's occasional brushes with magic, that there's an album in her down the road that's going to blow a lot of people away.  Affair With The Muse isn't that album, but it's the first step on the path there.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Aoede at www.aoedemuse.com.  To learn more about Dermatomyositis, please visit www.myositis.org.  Affair With The Muse is available digitally from Amazon.com and iTunes.

Flo Anito - No Dustbunnies

Flo Anito - No Dustbunnies
2008, Flo Anito

Flo Anito, a Washington, D.C.-based singer/songwriter who has garnered comparisons to Ani DiFranco, Fiona Apple and Nellie McKay, has been charming fans in the DC area and throughout New England for a couple of years now.  Her jazzy, piano-driven pop songs show off poetically prolific story-telling style with theatrical flair.  A graduate of Wesleyan University, Anito is classically trained in piano, voice and cello, and has a background in musical theater as well.  All of these facts offer hints of what is to come when first sit down to listen to Flo Anito's latest album, No Dustbunnies.  Anito worked with Chris Keup (O.A.R., Erin McKeown); Stewart Meyers (Lifehouse) and Brian Jones (Dave Matthews Band, Mandy Moore) to bring No Dustbunnies to life.

Anito opens with "Man Of The Year", a simplistic piano-driven arrange with a lace of strings added for atmosphere.  The song explores the angst of a new or prospective relationship; of wanting in but being afraid of getting hurt.  It's an intriguing start, and shows off a voice that's both gritty and pure; a sweet alto with a bit of tough-girl rasp.  "Uh Oh!" is catchy, stripped-down rock n roll that wouldn't be surprising in the background of a prime-time drama.  Anito's theatrical background comes out to stay for a while, starting with "Work!".  The song explores the complete thought process about a failing relationship, in a wordy yet well-flowing presentation that sounds like a modern Broadway/rock soliloquy.    If "Work!" is the internal conversation, the "Change My Life" is the external one that follows.  The melody is memorable, and the chorus in particular could get lodged in your head for days. 

"Mean" continues in the same vein, a catchy rocker with blues in its ancestry that explores the petty offenses and responses that dot a dysfunctional relationship.  This one is delivered in two acts: the first an early wakeup call that she didn't appreciate; the second her scheming for revenge.  Revenge and pathos make for an entertaining and tuneful trip into the dark reaches of the relationship psyche.  Country, blues and gospel blend on "No Good", a musical revelation that the relationship needs to go.  Anito gives you the entire rundown in lyrics that give you everything you could want to know while somehow avoiding the trap of too much information.  The chorus will stick with you, and you'll still feel the Broadway vibe that's run throughout much of the album to this point.

Things on No Dustbunnies have gone so well to this point that the coming slowdown is both expected and disappointing.  "dRuNKen LetTeR" is morose and self-serving, as it should be, but really dampens the entire mood that Anito has set to this point, and sounds very much out of place.  "Afghanagain" and "Valentine's Day Blues" are solid story songs, but lack the pizzazz and energy of what's come before, while "What You Don't Know Can Hurt You" serves as a placid transition to the close.  Anito sails off into the sunset with the jaunty, tongue-in-cheek Leave It To Beaver pop of "No Dustbunnies", funneling the frustrations of an old-time housewife into the cleanest home in town.  Rather than playing the song dipped in irony, Anito gives listeners the story in an authentic, time-stamped voice, which in its way is more ironic than the sarcasm often passed off as irony in pop culture.

The key to great pop music is simplicity.  Flo Anito appears to have learned this lesson well, constructing simple-yet-catchy pop tunes that are literate and fun.  Half of No Dustbunnies mines the culture of relationships for dysfunction and real emotion, presenting it all in a storytelling style that is equally at-home in the theater as it is on a pop record.  Anito manages this all in engaging fashion, wrapping you up in the web of strong narrative and infectious melodies that simply won't leave you alone.  The other half of the album is less winsome; functional in nature but lacking the pizzazz and charm that Anito is capable of.  All in all it's a worthwhile effort, but there are certainly some weeds in the flowerbed.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Flo Anito at www.floanito.com or www.myspace.com/floanito.  No Dustbunnies is available on CD from Amazon.com. Downloads are available from iTunes.

Dale Turner - Mannerisms Magnified

Dale Turner - Mannerisms Magnified

2010, Intimate Audio

There’s an old adage that those who cannot do teach.  Apparently no one ever told Dale Turner.  The former West Coast editor of Guitar One Magazine, current guitar instructor at Hollywood’s Musician’s Institute and author of over fifty instructional books set out in 2005 to write and record an album of original material in true DIY fashion.  Five years later Turner has realized his goal with Mannerisms Magnified, a true solo effort that features Turner in all musical and vocal roles as well as in the capacity of producer, arranger and engineer. 

Mannerisms Magnified opens with "Brian On The Brain" a sound collage of vocal snippets ala Brian Wilson's classic Beach Boys vocal harmonies.  It's an incomplete musical picture of the sort that is usually resigned to an untitled bonus track rather than an opener.  "Bad Seed" is a progressive musical construction around the self-story of a black sheep whose greatest misdeeds are indecision and ignorance.  Turner presents a nuanced and smooth arrangement using jazz forms and a prog rock sound.  "Sooner Or Later You'll Hate Her" is a consolation over a relationship that's broken apart.  It's an odd musical choice, but Turner takes an iffy situation and turns it into a workable song that will draw you in. 

Things get a bit disconnected in the middle, but Turner picks it up by the time he gets to "Morality Rule".  You might have a hard time following Turner's meaning here, but the funky and rhythmic arrangement is an enjoyable listen to let wash over you.  "Five Things" takes the Brian Wilson-style vocal harmonies introduced in "Brian On The Brain" and puts them to practical use.  The song itself won't ever be favorable compared to a Wilson creation, but Turner certainly captures elements of the sound.  "Civil Lies" draws on a musical progression that Fiona Apple fans will find suspiciously familiar, but is one of the best pieces of songwriting on Mannerisms Magnified.  Turner again drops for the Wilsonian harmonies, and the melancholy feel of the vocal line offers real color and character to an intriguing song.  "Exit Wound" is highly experimental and convoluted, almost more of a sound poem than a song.  This resolves into the instrumental closer "Solace Song", a solid guitar-based tune that cinches the deal without too much excitement.

Dale Turner puts in a solid effort of Mannerisms Magnified, creating intriguing moments along the way but never gaining the sort of momentum that turns an album into an experience.  Turner is a capable guitarist, and his vocals are solid, but the songwriting is inconsistent and unfocused.  There are definitely morsels here worth checking out, however, and the guitarists out there will enjoy picking out some of the finer points of Turner's playing technique. 

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Dale Turner at http://www.intimateaudio.com/.  Mannerisms Magnified is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  Digital copies are also available from iTunes.