Gena Perala - Exactly Nowhere

Gena Perala – Exactly Nowhere
2013, Gena Perala

Gena Perala is a modern renaissance woman.  Raised on the carnival circuit, she developed a keen insight into the human condition, and the artful storytelling style of a life-long performer.  Perala broke into music by way of her award winning poetry.  She has published three books to date and released two albums of original music.  Her debut album, This Ain’t Pretty, won Perala rave reviews. Her follow-up, Exactly Nowhere, finds Perala taking things to the next level.

Perala opens with “Living Proof”, bringing elements of classic 1960’s girl pop.  There’s a rock-a-bye feel to this tune, and while Perala is a bit verbose, the vocals are exceedingly easy on the ear.  “Fine” is an interesting take on a relationship where her partner makes her feel good about herself while spiraling downward himself.  There’s a sort of helpless fatalism here that’s palpable, and the song is gorgeous in its sadness.  “Hip Hop Cartoons” is rife irony.  The seeming anthem of living life on one’s own terms has a distinctive slacker element that’s more about simple existence than living or learning. 

“La Fin” is a dark waltz that is sung primarily in French with English interjections.  Perala is in her element here with a compelling mix of raw animus and madness.  It’s a moment that will haunt you into listening again and again.  “Exactly Nowhere” is theatrical in approach, sung seemingly in post-relationship shock.  Perala’s composition is masterful, right down to the string accents.  The lyrical caricature is as artful as the music, and in case you didn’t know it already, Perala is showing off some serious songwriting chops here.  “Superstar Nova” finds Perala in a more straight-forward pop approach, completed with elemental synth and a dance beat.  This is too busy as a relationship song and a bit too self-focused.  “Fat World” is a catchy garage/punk number that may be stuck in your noggin for days for its musical proclivities and for Perala’s enthralling voice.

"Hoopla" finds Perala lampooning women who fulfill themselves by digging for gold and living off the success if others. The campy atmosphere of the song, which alternates between reverb soaked simplicity and alt-rock excess, is reminiscent of Meryn Cadell. "On Second Thought" is a memorable piece of musical theater that tracks the internal ups and downs of a fickle minded suitor. Her writing is brilliant, incisive and funny yet somehow utterly mortal. The transitions from navel gazing pastiche to manic hope are perfectly conceived and executed.  "My Match" focuses on a repeat hookup offender who laments not finding permanence. It's a humorous and sad caricature that will likely remind you of someone.

"Life Is Hard" is a gorgeous, string-laced monologue from a character who is her own worst enemy. This worldview is dark and full of pessimism and yet utterly familiar from someone you know. Perala's light touch makes this more accessible and believable. "Tell It To The Stars" is an upbeat dialectic on seeking external guidance from the stars. Perala is eminently likeable here as she speaks from the heart in an upbeat, country flavored arrangement that will have you tapping your toes.

"See Myself" is a gently rolling piano ballad that's deftly orchestrated to build the emotive strength of the song while keeping Perala's superb vocals front and center. There's something of a secular sermon feel to this at times, with a distinctly inward focus built of insecurity as the concomitant strength it breeds. "Every Man" starts out in Perala's signature confessional style, but struggles to escape its own weight. She recovers nicely, closing with the brief, yet hopeful "Neverland".

Gena Perala’s musical and lyrical brilliance shines through on Exactly Nowhere.  There’s a theme of disaffection based on a mistrust of human intentions that runs through the album, but Perala also has a sense of humor.  In essence, Exactly Nowhere is something of a catalog of musical defense mechanisms that lead to the album’s title.  Perala deconstructs, perhaps, her own defenses with humor and grace and a fantastic sense of musical theater.  She takes tremendous risks and even when things don’t quite work out they’re certainly interesting.  Exactly Nowhere finds Gena Perala distinctly somewhere wonderful.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.genaperala.com.  

Sasha Papernik - Victory

Sasha Papernik – Victory
2012, Sasha Papernik

It was 2011 when I first heard of Sasha Papernik.  Her album with Sasha & The Indulgents, Love In A Box was one of the biggest surprises of the year.  The classically trained, first-generation Russian-American singer/songwriter showed a depth of musical and human understanding that was breathtaking.  A lot has changed in the last two years:  Papernik is now billing fully under her own name, and her depth and maturity as a songwriter has grown.  Papernik now writes with the confidence of an established star, and her muse seemingly knows no boundaries.  Papernik’s latest album, Victory, is an eye opener.

Kicking things off with the title track, Papernik uses a pop-noire sound to call out a man who played her.  The dark undertones in “Victory” are straight out of Russian musical heritage, and give the song a wonderfully complex musical flavor.  “Kiss Me Fast” is an impetuous entreaty written in a 1960’s girl pop sound.  It is a memorable tune that will return to your mind at odd moments.  “Oy Moroz, Moroz” is a wonderful little blend of blues, rock and folk, with Papernik singing in both Russian and English.  Try to keep your foot still, as Papernik and her band work through the incredibly catchy and tight arrangement. 

Papernik will delight listeners with “Solitude”, a singer/songwriter piece underwritten by a deliciously sly little tango.  It’s just piano and voice this time around, but Papernik leaves the stunning impression of an impresario at her best.  “Whispering Tree” is a nice change of pace; a swaying cabaret-pop number with dark undertones that’s simply gorgeous.  It’s time to waltz when Papernik launches into the Russian folk song “Tonkaya Ryabina”.  You’ll be seduced by the three-step rhythm, and lulled by the utterly beautiful arrangement Papernik has built around it. 

Papernik shows off a bit of a country flavor on “Polina”, a bit of musical counsel to a friend who has fallen off the marital path.  Driven by a pure singer/songwriter pastiche, “Polina” is an enjoyable side trip.  “Wrong Side Of Twenty-Five” is the sort of character sketch in song that is among the most difficult to write.  Papernik is working out the kinks of the process here, but it is a solid effort and bodes well for the future.  She goes Baroque on “Luchina”, a classically-themed pop piece with a pretty melody you’ll want to repeat.  “Wildwood Flower” is a catchy little tune that that takes you by surprise.  You may not take particular notice of it the first time you hear it, but it quickly grows on you. 

“Peter’s Letters” is am ambling and ambitious reminiscence, but is too weighty for its own good.  It’s the only song on the album you’ll be tempted to skip, but Papernik is so engaging even here that you’ll stick with her through the tune.  Papernik has one more star turn in her, however, as she shows on “Take It As It Comes”.  This is pure singer/songwriter material, encompassing styles including country, pop and a touch of Baroque classical.  Papernik then bows with the gentle piano-pop of “Tall Grass”, which leaves the listener with an endearing image and sense of peace.  It’s a solid closer that’s a bit anti-climactic, but not a bad choice. 

Sasha Papernik embraces her classical roots on Victory, writing a genre-bending album with distinct pop sensibilities but a master’s sense of melody, harmony and precision.  Papernik is also a credibly story-teller, engaging listeners with tales and sketches in song that draw in as they color the musical landscape.  Papernik’s voice is a joy to listen to, and she is a consummate performer.  Victory is aptly named, and turns out to have been one of the finest releases of 2012

Rating:           4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.sashatheband.com. 

The White Ravens - Saddle Up The Whales

The White Ravens – Saddle Up The Whales
2012, The White Ravens

Brother and sister songwriting team Will and Amy Bennett began their band, The White Ravens, on Christmas Day, 2004.  Now 19 and 20, respectively, The Bennetts are carving out an interesting niche in the Indie rock scene in Michigan.  Terming their sound “indie pop geek cabaret rock”, The White Ravens are influenced by a cacophony of sounds from the worlds of rock, classical, Broadway, folk and modern Indie rock.  Will Bennett (keys, guitar) is the composer, and Amy Bennett (vocals, bass) is the lyricist.  It’s a dynamic combination that is responsible for a wonderful tuneful, effervescent pop/rock sound.  On their third album, Saddle Up The Whales, The White Ravens seem to have finally come into their own.

The opening track, “Saddle Up The Whales” is vibrant; joyous; a little bit messy and a whole lot of fun.  Rather than the cynicism so common in modern popular music, The White Ravens glory in a sort of youthful glee.  The result is a sound that is complex, but driven by a singular pop sensibility that gets under your skin and makes you want to get up and dance. “Rube Goldberg Machine” features the same sort of simple joy, wrapped up in an incredibly complex and varying arrangement.  Will Bennett shows his compositional skills run somewhere between those of the Beatles and Ben Folds, blending rock, pop and classical components into an amazingly cogent bit of writing.  Amy Bennett backs it all up with lyrics that are wonderfully twisted and full of the simply joy of making music.

“Informational Video” takes a disco beat and turns it into a complex, layered pop song.  You’ll want to dance and sing along.  “Conspiracy” is a paranoia-filled nightmare for the relationship-phobic in the crowd.  There is a distinct cabaret-pop feel to this tune, and Amy Bennett perfectly balances an edge of sultry songstress with quirk and humor.  The White Ravens offer up a change of pace with “Rain Song”.  Sounding at first like a ballad, “Rain Song” is quirky and pensive, but carries a melody that is beautiful and sweet.  Amy Bennett handles this juxtaposition with a surprising grace.  “Spaaace” is a catchy piano-driven rocker full of classical themes and a fearful penchant for space travel.  The song is infectiously off-kilter; the sort you return to again and again. 

“Mechanical Whales” starts out with a dark cloud hanging over it, brought on by the delicious minor key piano opening.  This turns into an art-rock extravaganza that is more about sound and structure than anything else.  The result is stark and full of a surprisingly twisted beauty.  “World’s Smallest Piece Of Pasta” has more of a chic-dance rock aesthetic.  The quirk factor here is quite high, and the song is an entertaining if surreal listen.  “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” commemorates the world’s eighth continent, a large collection of garbage afloat in the Pacific Ocean.  This tune has great comedic potential, but The White Ravens find a gentler path through the song.  “Arlene’s Grocery” is full of wonderfully zany lyrics.  The arrangement matches the feel but is complex and well-developed.  “We’re Glad You’re Here” is a Beatles-esque musical exploration full of layered sounds ala Phil Specter.  It’s a nice sonic segue way into the closing track, a boogie-woogie take on “Bye Bye Blackbird”.  Will Bennett gets to show off his piano prowess here in unvarnished terms, and Amy Bennett shows depth and grace in her handling of the vocal line. 

The White Ravens keep you on your toes and ultimately charm your socks off on Saddle Up The Whales.  The musical depth and breadth of what they are doing here before legal drinking age speaks to a pair of distinctive musical talents, and a special chemistry that simply doesn’t come along every day.  Saddle Up The Whales has a kitschy feel at times, but it’s all in good fun; a fun so infectious you can’t help but join in.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.thewhiteravens.com. 

Kalen - Falling From The Sun

Kalen - Falling From The Sun
2012, Kalen Lister

First you take a small town girl from Exeter, New Hampshire with a penchant for singing and songwriting.  Next, you provide her fertile mind with an Ivy League education.  Finally, you turn her loose on the streets of Brooklyn to see what happens next.  This isn’t exactly Kalen Lister’s story, but it’s not far off the mark.  Kalen brings an exciting and intellectual approach to song craft on her debut solo CD, Falling From The Sun.

Kalen starts off with "Island", an ethereal pop vocal tune reminiscent of early recordings from Maryen Cairns or Milla Jovovich. The composition is built of complex layers that are realized with surprising clarity over a light dance beat. "Fallen From The Sky" explores how good love goes bad when obsession sets in. Kalen uses an elevation to angry rocker to show growing frustration while layering ghost-like vocal chants over the top. The effect is striking.

Kalen gets gritty on "Rabid Girl", a story song about a young woman's descent into alcoholism and the demons that drive her there. The urgent energy of this tune carries over into "Neda", which reverts a bit to Kalen's more ethereal pop sound. Maintaining a bit of that gritty feel and channeling it into bluesy pop, Kalen's moves on into the dark and spritely kiss off song "Hit The Road". This is the most impressive vocal performance on the album thus far, and hints at greater musical depths that Kalen may not yet have tapped. Kalen strips things down to piano, strings and voice for the closing waltz, "It Takes A Lifetime." This is a wow moment, as Kalen struggles through insecurity and indecision to a nominal understanding that the confusion and fear is a normal part of life. Elements of Tori Amos or Sarah Slean can be heard here, but Kalen really makes the moment her own by singing very much from the heart.

Kalen Lister makes a grand statement in bold hues, subtle rhythms and deftly crafted phrases on Falling From The Sun.  This is a nuanced EP that rewards patience, unfurling new layers with repeated listens.  Kalen’s voice is enigmatic and warm, drawing you out of your listener’s isolation and involving you in the stories she spins.  She’ll leave you wanting more and more.

Rating:           4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.kalenmusic.com. 

Shelly Fraley - Into The Sun

Shelly Fraley - Into The Sun
2011, Hinterland House Publishing Co.

Native Kansan and Nashville transplant Shelly Fraley began writing songs at a young age on an out-of-tune church piano. Inspired by the pop music of her youth, Fraley developed a strong sense of melody and an appreciation for great hooks that lights up her songwriting with verve and panache. Fraley seems to have struck a chord along the line, with her songs featured on such shows as Private Practice, One Tree Hill, Army Wives and Pretty Little Liars. Fraley continues to build momentum on the back of her debut album, Into The Sun, while embarking on an East Coast tour of the U.S. in the Fall of 2011.

Into The Sun opens with "Sway", showing off a lush pop arrangement and sultry voice ala Canadian chanteuse Sarah Slean. "Come On, Let Go" is a catchy, bouncy pop tune about inertia in relationships, and having the courage to let go when the time is right. Fraley's chorus is the sort that sticks with you, replaying itself in your mind long after the song is over. "Two At A Time" is a cute song of reminiscence of the joy and excitement of new love. Reserved in approach, Fraley nonetheless manages to create a catchy and memorable pop number with substance. "Up, Up & Away" seems the most likely hit here; a shiny bit of pop gold with a rootsy base that gets in your skull and stays there.

On "Be Brave", Fraley is psyching herself up to talk to someone she can't get out of her head. She knows he likes her too but just can't seem to make the first move. The song is wonderfully authentic, steeped in the normal neuroses of insecurity that plague us all when trying to interact with others. "Uh Oh I'm Fallin'" is a light and fluffy number about the pure elation of falling in love. Fraley nails the moment, encapsulating it in a musical atmosphere that's perfect for her subject. "Seize The Day" is all about picking up the pieces and moving on. A positive message in difficult light, the song itself is a solid album track, but Fraley's addition of strings to fill out the arrangement is a nice touch. Into The Sun closes with "Hi, Hi, Hi", exploring the circular nature of an on-again, off-again relationship. Fraley pulls off another memorable chorus in the process, writing a tune that will call you back and encourage you to hit play again.

Fraley contributes piano and voice on Into The Sun, but gets some help from alumni of the Josh Gracin Band, Sixpence None The Richer, Outsiders and Tonic along the way. Producer Mark Nash (PFR, Sixpence None The Richer) helps Fraley construct a musical tableau that puts her personal observations in song in their best light. There's a distinctive pop feel that pervades Into The Sun, but also a messy, organic side that makes Fraley's songwriting accessible and authentic to the listener at home. Into The Sun is a great start.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Shelly Fraley at www.shellyfraley.com or www.myspace.com/shellyfraley.  Into The Sun is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Yael Naim - She Was A Boy

Yael Naim - She Was A Boy
2011, tot Ou tard / VF Musiques

Yael Naim rocketed into international consciousness back in 2008, due to the inclusion of her song “New Soul” in an Apple advertisement.  While this break was real and palpable, it’s hard to imagine someone with the talent of Naim not making it.  Together with collaborator Davd Donatien, Naim has spent much of the last two years in her Parisian flat/recording studio, writing and recording material for her sophomore album, She Was A Boy.  The album is due for US release on May 10, 2011 digitally and May 17, 2011 on CD.

She Was A Boy opens with "Come Home, a catchy bit of mellow pop/jazz fleshed out with orchestration. The arrangement is silky smooth and showcases Naim's wonderfully breathy alto perfectly.  "My Dreams" is an interesting blend of pop, jazz, new age and world music.  Beauty, urgency and need are all portrayed as part of the whole in the most sonically intriguing song on the album.  "She Was A Boy" plays with middle eastern scales in a catchy bit of orchestrated pop music. Yael Naim is no stranger to notoriety.  "New Soul", featured on Yael Naim, turned into a sensation overnight with its inclusion in a MacBook Air commercial.  That may be nothing compared to "Go To The River", which is one of the catchiest songs of 2011 so far.  You won't be able to get this song out of your head for days at a time.  Naim uses layered voices to create syncopated harmonies and rhythm on a chorus you will never forget.

"Never Change" features heavy southern European influences and a cantering pace to highlight a memorable melody.  It's a solid changeup from "Go To The River" that's subtle but perhaps just as unique in its own right.  "Today" is personal and compelling, and features Naim's best vocal performance on the album.  Her voice is utterly breathtaking in a song of heartbreak and yearning for something more.  The orchestration builds layers into the sound that are compellingly lush.  "Mystical Love" shows another side to Yael Naim, sounding a bit like something that might have been written through collaboration between Tori Amos and Andrew Lloyd Webber in the early 1970's.  The song is highly original and quirky in construction, showing a deep melodic sensibility with pop pretensions but a highly original sense of musical vision.

"Man Of Another Women" takes on a middle eastern flair in an intriguing number that may catch you by surprise.  It's one of those songs you don't necessarily pay active attention to the first time you hear it, but find yourself humming later and perhaps uncertain where you heard it from.  "Puppet" has pure sonic appeal, with Yael Naim sounding a bit like Milla Jovovich but with a middle eastern rather than slavic influence.  "If I Lost The Best Thing" is a highly personal and heartfelt number that is gorgeous in both instrumentation and vocals.  Naim replicates these qualities on the closing track, "Game Is Over". 

Whereas 2008's Yael Naim balanced French and English fairly equally, Naim sticks with mostly English on She Was A Boy.  The songs offered here show a musical depth that is rarely on display in pop music.  Yael Naim creates songs full of emotional and musical substance that speak to you from the depths of her worldly experience.  The songwriting on She Was A Boy is compelling, and the sounds, whether instrumental or vocal, spend much of the time surpassing beauty.  This is not an album to ignore of pass by.  She Was A Boy is a Wildy’s World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Yael Naim at www.yaelweb.com or www.myspace.com/yaelnaim.  She Was A Boy is due for release on May 10, 2011 for digital and May 17, 2011 on CD.  You can pre-order the album through Amazon.com on CD or as a Download.  iTunes has yet to post a link to pre-order the album, but expect one shortly.

Sasha And The Indulgents - Love In A Box

Sasha And The Indulgents - Love In A Box
2010, Sasha Papernik

Sasha Papernik will surprise you.  The conservatory-trained classical pianist has been winning national and international piano competitions since the age of eight, but Papernik has never been able to shy away from the freedom of rock music.  Lyric ballads have grown into vibrant rockers, or been spiced up with blinding fast piano runs that strike like lightning and disappear just as quickly.  The Boston-born singer/songwriter has been haunting the clubs of New York City and New England for a few years now with unaffected pop music that's a cousin to that of Tori Amos, Kate Bush and Sarah Slean.  Papernik's band, Sasha And The Indulgents, released their second album in late 2010; a quirky eight-song collection entitled Love In A Box.

Sasha And The Indulgents opens with the musical split personality of the title track.  "Love In A Box" opens as a depressed and dreamy rumination, but transforms into a quirky, angular pop chorus that's incredibly infectious.  Papernik displays an animated, vaguely demented and theatrical style here that is hard not to get into.  "Carolina" is an intriguing dream-pop number about someone who is chasing down her dreams in spite of what family and friends might say.  It's an ode to someone who has given up everything to get her deepest wish.  There's a mild country/Americana flavor in this mellow arrangement that is appealing.  "Edges Of Your Mind" is a bit obtuse in imagery, but is built on a wonderfully vibrant piano progression. 

"I Read The Letter" is an interesting bit of piano pop, channeling the manic feel that tends to infuse Papernik's songs into an edgy and vibrant arrangement that dances on the edge of exploding.  "Would You Like Me" is a great pictorial in song of romance from the perspective of an emotional chameleon that is honest in her dysfunction.  The chorus here is highly memorable, and the dramatic sensibility of the narrator approaches a brittle break without ever quite breaching the divide.  "Chasing Hours" is perhaps the cleanest piano-pop song on the album; a gentle ballad that's full of simple beauty and emotion.  Unfortunately the production on this track isn't what it might be.  Love In A Box bows with "Ten Thousand Dreams", a dreamy, sparse number in a quasi-chanson style.  Sasha Papernik's voice is angelic here, and the atmosphere one of heartbreaking beauty.

Sasha And The Indulgents hit listeners where they live on Love In A Box, delivering quirky, unusually placed pop music full of beauty, grace and honest thoughts and emotion.  Without affectation or device, Sasha Papernik dwells on the beauty of human imperfection and nobility in song.  Love In A Box doesn't play by the rules of pop music, speaking of real lives and real people in a real voice.  If you hunger for honesty in art, then Love In A Box is gift-wrapped just for you.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Sasha And The Indulgents at www.sashatheband.com or www.myspace.com/sashaandtheindulgents.  Love In A Box is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available via iTunes.

Phoebe Legere - Ooh La La Coq Tail

Phoebe Legere - Ooh La La Coq Tail
2010, Mysterious Ways / ESP Disk

Rule #1 - never start a review with the statement "there's no one quite like....".  The first thing that will happen is you'll get thirty or forty e-mails, usually from a small group of a dozen or so Google-happy music buffs who live for refuting such statements.  Besides, it's trite and overdone.  That being said, there is quite literally, no one like Phoebe Legere.  One of the most original jazz pianists of generation, Legere has never stood still long enough to be classified definitively.  A classically trained pianist who fell in love with jazz, Legere studied at the New England Conservatory in high school.  Her four-octave voice also led her to sing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the age of sixteen.  Signed by EPIC records as a teenager, Legere has gone to build a significant catalog of work in jazz and electronic music.  The Pulitzer-Prize nominated composer gets back to her roots on Ooh La La Coq Tail, blending French Musette, Jazz, Pop and Baroque Chamber styles in a whirlwind of class and charm.

Ooh La La Coq Tail opens with "Que Rest T'Il De Nos Amours?” a healthy dose of French cabaret jazz.  Legere's low-key, nuanced arrangement sidles up next to you and gathers your attention with a warmth and sensuality that's intriguing.  Legere's beautifully clear voice is the perfect complement and spoil to the arrangement.  "I Love Myself When I'm With You" features Legere in a duet with George Leonard.  His Steve Lawrence-inspired talk/sing style is a perfect complement to Legere's vocal glamour in a number that sounds like it was spawned from a 1940's movie musical.  "Under Paris Skies" features Legere in a stunning vocal performance in the chanson style.  Legere's voice is full of intricate tones and textures, providing a spine-tingling 'wow' moment. 

Legere starts out "Prelude To A Kiss" in a breathy, forced alto below her comfortable range.  Once she breaks out into her upper register you'll forget the slight detour, but the opening isn't a great reflection of what Legere can do.  "Sometimes It Snows In Las Vegas" is a piano-driven pop/jazz number.  Legere handles it with aplomb.  Legere launches herself into "Hot Sicilian Pizza Boy" with an enthusiasm and wit that is simply stunning.  It's an entertaining turn, and gives listeners a glimpse of the pure magnetism Legere communicates on stage.  "Sex Is Love" explores differences in perspective on the world's favorite past time.  This is great songwriting, plain and simple.

Legere offers up "Nancy", a love song with surprisingly uncertain pacing.  It's not a bad song, but something just doesn't go right in the dynamic built here.  Legere recovers nicely on "Playing Me Like A Piano", an innuendo-laden jazz ballad that Legere makes even better with her voice.  "Just One Of Those Things" is presented in French as an up-tempo number.  Legere instills the song with verve and a sense of class that's unmistakable.  Ooh La La Coq Tail closes a solid rendition of "Paris Je T'Aime" and a lovely piano instrumental entitled "Earth Singing World".  Here Legere blends styles and substance in expansive piano passages that display her subtle style, extreme melodicism and sense of freedom on the piano.

Phoebe Legere is a treasure; a name touted by musical cognoscenti but often not recognized for her talents outside of a core group of fans and music professionals.  While artists such as Diana Krall and Norah Jones have earned raves and racked up millions in album sales for pop-influenced jazz numbers with strong connections to the American songbook, Legere continues to challenge boundaries and classification every time she sits at the piano.  Ooh La La Coq Tail has a couple of quiet moments, but Legere consistently provides excellence in both her compositions and performance.  This album is a definite keeper.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Phoebe Legere at http://www.phoebelegere.com/ or www.myspace.com/sexbrain.   Ooh La La Coq Tail is available digitally from Amazon.com and iTunes.

Debbie Miller - Fake Love

Debbie Miller - Fake Love
2010, The Debbie Miller

Debbie Miller is a New York City-based singer/songwriter who encompasses the quirky wit and style of an East Village folk singer and the avant-garde style cultivated south of the Brooklyn Bridge. A classically-trained pianist, Miller is a stylish story-teller who mixes wit and wisdom in songs that slice at the truth from angles you might not expect. Miller's debut album, Fake Love, presents eleven finely crafted tunes that vacillate from frank to farcical without ever losing sight of the essential humanity that inspired each bit of musical observation.

Fake Love opens with "Tippy Toe", a demented and tuneful song about worming your way into someone's heart. There's a vaguely obsessive tone to the song, but it's delivered in such cute fashion this predilection may slip by you. "Tippy Toe" is the song that got Debbie Miller "discovered" and led to the recording of Fake Love, and gives you a solid picture of the dynamic persona behind the piano. "Eclipse" is a daydream about falling love and all of the magical moments that can happen in the beginning weeks. Miller takes a ham-handed stab at innuendo here but makes up for it with a delightful little twist at the end of the song.

Miller engages in an intriguing piece of European style Baroque pop with "Kindly Remove", dropping some serious piano work and orchestration on a tune song with a bratty, moll-like vocal line. It's a brilliant juxtaposition you have to hear to believe. "F Train" is a straight-forward tune about the inanities of hooking up. Miller is dead on for observation and commentary, flashing wit in a life lesson that is best learned without the lonely subway ride home in the morning. Miller turns vulnerable with "I Rise", a tune about falling in love and placing your heart fully in the hands of another; and the magic that can arise from that decision. It's a pleasant turn and helps broaden the listener's understanding of Debbie Miller's depth as a songwriter.

"Lite Brite" laments the reality that often waits at the end of the chase, recounting her acquisition of a Lite Bright at the age of twenty-four after wanting one for years and realizing how lame it actually is. It's a funny tune with solid life lesson in the lining. Miller seemingly takes on domestic violence and the idea that victims bring it on themselves in "Made You". Not so much outright humorous and sardonic, Miller lambastes the idea in song without ever really contradicting it. It's a neat trick; one that could be easily misunderstood by those who don't listen carefully. "Did You Ever Wonder" is the last official track on Fake Love, a dreamer's queries about all-encompassing belief and/or faith. It's the questioning of one who wants to believe but can't quite commit to the childlike faith of another; not so much cynical as uncertain. It's a neat bit of songwriting. Miller gives listeners a real treat with the untitled bonus track, a tune about obsessive fandom that turns into a real laugher when Miller forgets a verse. The song is recorded live-in-studio, and Miller has fun with her gaffe, offering yet another positive glimpse at the artist behind the songs.

After listening to Fake Love, you're likely to decide that Debbie Miller would be the perfect friend to have over to dinner parties. The songs on Fake Love are smart, heartfelt, and sometimes uproariously funny. Miller takes the approach of a classic troubadour, peeling the layers of life to show you new perspectives using moments both earnest and amusing, alternating between a piano style that calls to mind Tori Amos and singer/songwriter guitar. Fake Love never really falls flat, although there are quiet moments. Nevertheless, Debbie Miller gives listeners their monies worth with Fake Love. Make sure you check it out.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Debbie Miller at http://www.thedebbiemiller.com/ or www.myspace.com/thedebbiemiller. Fake Love is available in various formats from CDBaby, Amazon and iTunes.

Review: Misty Boyce - Misty Boyce

Misty Boyce - Misty Boyce
2010, Modern Vintage Recordings

New Mexico native and New York City-based Misty Boyce got her feet wet as a professional musician playing keyboard for The Naked Brothers Band. Don’t let her tween-pop roots fool you, however; Boyce is a serious songwriter in her own right, with a drop-dead voice and a style that compares well against folks like Regina Sarah Slean, Regina Spektor and Tori Amos. Boyce’s debut album, Misty Boyce, is due out on March 30, 2010 on Modern Vintage Recordings

Boyce opens with “Razors”, a jaunty, angry tune very much in the style of Sarah Slean. Boyce admonishes an old love to go away, although methinks she doth protest too much. It’s a great composition, and the layered vocal harmonies are a great accent. “Trouble” is a highly stylistic ballad; a sad soliloquy from a broker person who’s taken satisfaction in being broken but is now turning away someone who would be good for her for fear she’ll ruin him. It’s a case of tragic redemption through self-sacrifice. Boyce surrounds this story with gorgeous instrumentation and a near-perfect arrangement. Boyce gets a bit more pop-oriented on “Be A Man”. Written from the perspective of a child acting out because of a divorce in the family and a new woman in dad’s life, “Trouble” is an amazingly stark and potent bit of songwriting. Don’t be surprised if this one gets licensed for movies and television

“How Long” is a delicious mix of intense emotions in a stark arrangement and a distinctive pop sensibility. “Regrets” seems more rueful than anything else, mixing regret and a positive outlook in a viable power-pop arrangement that works well for Boyce. The best pop songwriting on the album comes in the form of “Love You Down”, a song that might win the title as “ultimate come-on song”. Do not be surprised if “Love You Down” becomes a mix-tape favorite. Boyce wears her heart on her sleeve on “Slow Burn”, a nearly mournful tune of devotion. The arrangement Boyce crafted for “Slow Burn” is a gorgeous mix of dark and light; hope and pain. “Dutch Girls” is stark and needful; a song about loneliness in a digital age where we are drawn closer and closer to each other even as we grow more confined within our digital walls. There is an over-arching sense of loss that runs throughout Misty Boyce, which turns out to be something of a post-breakup album. Boyce doesn’t leave you mired in the emotional ruins however, ending up in the self-awareness and hope of “Snowed In”. “Snowed In” finds Boyce forced to stop for a day and see her life as it is; and realizing that things are okay. It’s not healing, per se, but certainly a sign that all will be well.

Misty Boyce announces Boyce to be a musical force to be reckoned with. Comparisons to Regina Spektor, Sarah Slean and Tori Amos are all well-founded, but Boyce is her own songwriter, and one senses that over time her sound might become even more distinctive. As a freshman effort, Misty Boyce approaches brilliance.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Misty Boyce at http://www.mistyboyce.com/ or www.myspace.com/mistyboyce. Misty Boyce drops on March 30, 2010. You can pre-order the album as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Kara Reynolds - Paper Moon

Kara Reynolds - Paper Moon
2009, Kara Reynolds

Kara Reynolds is an all-American girl. The Wyoming native and Nashville resident brings a wholesome look and sound that will both challenge and surprise you on her debut album, Paper Moon. Reynolds discovered songwriting while working one summer in a coal mine warehouse, not only gaining a calling but the dollars to begin recording. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Belmont University, Reynolds moved to Nashville to make her dream come true.

Paper Moon opens with “Nom De Plume”, offering a distinctive piano sound that’s somewhere between Fiona Apple and Vince Guaraldi. “Nom De Plume” is a song of succor, but is most intriguing as a musical composition. “Sky Painter” is an ode to the skies of Wyoming; a reminder that no matter how far we go home is always a part of us. “Table In Back” is an emotional portrait painted in the striking musical hues familiar to fans of Sarah Slean. Reynolds shows a distinctive dramatic sensibility here in a tune that’s both dark and lovely. “Still Believe” moves more toward the pop side of the spectrum but retains the darker textures Reynolds seems most comfortable with.

“Something To Hold On To” runs the ridge between Sarah Slean and Fiona Apple stylistically. The song is interesting but runs out of steam before its through. “Paper Moon”, the title track, is perhaps the most nondescript song on the album; a puzzling choice to lend its name to the album. Reynolds gets dreamy and lush on “Sink Or Swim”, a jazzy cabaret piece you’ll put on repeat. Reynolds closes out with “Wrecking Ball”, “Song No. 4” and “Calley’s Song”, three compositions that serve to fill out the space on Paper Moon but really aren’t up to the level of the material on the first half of the CD.

Kara Reynolds has a distinctive sound; one that should be certain to garner her a lot of attention in the future. Reynolds’ debut album, Paper Moon is successful at times and not so much at others. As a six or seven song EP, Paper Moon would be an eye opening experience. As it is; it’s an uneven experience with some great songs and some weak moments. Reynolds is only going to get better with time.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Kara Reynolds at http://www.karareynolds.com/ or www.myspace.com/karareynoldsmusic. You can purchase Paper Moon on CD from CDBaby.com. Digital versions are available from Amazon.com and iTunes.

Review: Jerin Falkner - Pyro Aesthetic

Jerin Falkner - Pyro Aesthetic
2009, Pyro Aesthetic

Seattle’s Jerin Falkner is just like your typical girl next door. Typical, that is, until she steps onstage and her inner fire lights up the stage like a spotlight. Falkner has written over sixty songs since 2004, release four independent albums and being highly competitive in a host of songwriting competitions across the US. Falkner’s latest release, Pyro Aesthetic, is breathtaking.

Falkner opens with Count Of Three, sounding more than a bit like Sarah McLachlan. The arrangement is simply piano with electronic accoutrements; its one of the gentler, more ethereal kiss off songs I've heard. The melody and arrangement is a thing of beauty. Falkner goes to the other end of the spectrum with the frenetic Dance/Pop of Let Down, which is more reminiscent of the maniacal energy of Devo than any Alternapop chanteuse. Right In Front is back in the middle of the spectrum; a mid-tempo Pop tune that truly highlights Falkner's wonderfully textured voice. All of the songs thus far on Pyro Aesthetic are about or based on a relationship that's fallen or is falling apart. The trend continues on the rhythmically inspired Flight. The mood here is turmoil, and is delivered in a wonderfully upbeat arrangement that will inspire repeat plays. For You has a tragic cabaret feel, sounding like something Sarah Slean might have written. Falkner seems to have a knack for tragic beauty and melancholy in her melodies and it's never more apparent than on For You. Copy Me wanders over the borderlands between unusual and truly bizarre, wrapping Falkner's wonderful bit of madness in the golden hues of Pop Rock. The song is fun and vaguely danceable and breaks into total perspective distortion before returning to its roots. Falkner closes out with Sunrise, a wish for the light after a period of personal torment. It's a recovery and rebirth from the loss of a relationship that's detailed throughout Pyro Aesthetic; layered and multi-textured and beautiful in its singular sense of hope.

I knew nothing about Jerin Falkner when I sat down to listen to Pyro Aesthetic; but this is one amazing artist. Falkner walks to the beat of her own drummer, creating music somewhere in the Outlands beyond Sarah McLachlan where folks like Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Bjork and Sarah Slean frolic and play. Falkner's sense of melody is distinctive, and her ability to emote the tragedies of everyday life through both her piano and her voice is singular in nature. Pyro Aesthetic perhaps isn't perfect, but Falkner is working on her own lattice so even the imperfections become perfect parts of the whole. Pyro Aesthetic is brilliant; a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc, and Jerin Falkner is just getting started.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Jerin Falkner at http://www.jerinfalkner.com/ or www.myspace.com/jerinfalknermusic. You can purchase Pyro Aesthetic on CD from CDBaby, or you can download the album via iTunes.

Review: Hawksley Workman - For Him And The Girls

Hawksley Workman - For Him And The Girls
2000/2009, Isadora Records

Ryan Corrigan, AKA Hawksley Workman, has been known to Canadian artists for a decade now as a Juno-award winning singer, songwriter and producer. A multi-instrumentalist with a sound that's drawn comparisons to Tom Waits and The Rheostatics, Workman mixes and melds quirky folk with Pop, Cabaret and even Glam Rock elements to create some of the most distinctive and original pop music anywhere. For Him And The Girls, his debut album, was originally released in 2000 in Canada, but recently had its debut in the United States. It is an eclectic collection of songs meant to help American audiences develop a taste for Workman's music in advance of the release of Milk & Meat in 2010. Aside from his own projects, Workman has produced albums/songs for Great Big Sea, The Cash Brothers, Sarah Slean, Skydiggers and Tegan and Sara, among others.

Workman opens For Him And The Girls with Maniacs, an ambitious and off-center rock tune that runs an almost Latin rhythm beneath a lyrically disjointed alt-rock tune that perseverates on "maniacs", "fatsos" and "slaves". Welcome to the world of Hawksley Workman, where social conscience and madness occasionally run hand in hand. Sissies is a deliciously upbeat Pop Rocker that will get inside your head and set up residence. This is one of those songs that ambushes your thought process three days after you've heard it and just won't get out of your head. Luckily it's well written, bordering on comical at times. Sad House Daddy has a cabaret feel; it amounts to an apology for everything from someone who might be segueing in and out of reality. Sweet Hallelujah is a lilting prayer; a gorgeous tune with a melody that's practically heart-breaking.

Bullets is an amusing tune full of campy machismo and wit; danceable and catchy and driven by a sense of invincibility that appears on its face to be ridiculous. Workman gives a highly emotive performance on Don't Be Crushed before transitioning into a quasi-Country/Pop sound on Stop Joking Around. Workman strips away all excess on Safe And Sound, an amazing love song offered here in a simple acoustic arrangement. This is a tune destined for Mix Tapes, movies, television and anywhere else a licenser could think to put it. Baby This Night is a slow jam for the 21st century Alt-Rock fan, with a slightly twisted turn. It's a strong song, although Workman does get a bit bogged down in repetition part way through. Workman closes out with Beautiful & Natural, a song that sounds like something of an ode but burrows through a dark psychedelia in tribute. You'll walk away thinking perhaps it was a sweet song as played in the sort of distorted funhouse sounds you hear in horror movies.

Hawksley Workman is nothing if not enigmatic. I don't know if this is the album I would have used to introduce him to US audiences (I might have chosen (Last Night We Were) The Delicious Wolves)). but it is a fair representation of where his muse leads. That being said, For Him And The Girls is a brilliant collection that will intrigue you and keep you off balance as a listener. Workman knows how to push a listener's buttons, but not so far that he drives you away. Quite to the contrary, you're likely to stick around even if it’s just to see what he might do next.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Hawksley Workman at http://www.hawksleyworkman.com/ or www.myspace.com/hawksleyworkman. You can order a copy of For Him And The Girls from MapleMusic.com, or you can download the album from iTunes.

Artist Of The Month: Jenn Grant (September, 2009)

Too see and hear Jenn Grant these days, you’d never guess she gave up performing as a teenage due to horrible stage fright. The Prince Edward Island native and Halifax, Nova Scotia resident has carved out a niche for herself as one of the most intimate modern Folk/Rock artists in Canada. With an entrancing voice that can run from lyric to edgy in the same breath, Grant can hold a crowd spellbound as she bares her soul in song. These qualities have earned her rave reviews across her native Canada for both 2007’s Orchestra For The Moon and her latest album, Echoes. After hearing Echoes, there was no doubt who would be Wildy’s World’s Artist Of The Month for September, 2009.

Grant’s talents have earned her touring/opening slots with The Rheostatics’ Martini Tielli, The Weakerthans, Great Lakes Swimmers, Hawksley Workman and Hayden, among others. Her songs are full of melancholy emotion and honest words, as stark as a diary entry and twice as honest. Grant’s music is performance and catharsis all woven into one. Over the course of the month we’ll try to give you the opportunity to get to know a bit more about Jenn Grant. Take the time; there’s really no one else like her in popular music.

You can learn more about Jenn Grant at http://www.jenngrant.com/ or www.myspace.com/jenngrant1. And don't forget to check out our review of Echoes, one of the most intriguing releases of 2009 to date!