Antje Duvekot - New Siberia

Antje Duvekot - New Siberia
2012, Antje Duvekot

It might not surprise you to learn that some pretty talented musicians worked with Antje Duvekot on her third studio album, New Siberia.  Like talent draws like talent, and Duvekot’s band have played with the likes of Paul Simon, Rosanne Cash, Jewel, Chris Botti, Levon Helm and Jonatha Brooke.  The musicianship is indeed first class on New Siberia, but what’s surprising is that Duvekot enhances her already prodigious reputation as an outstanding songwriter and performer with an even more nuanced and mature cycle of songs than her previously critically acclaimed work.

Duvekot opens with the whispering, silky cadences of "Into The City", a song of impending, preventable heartache. Duvekot's voice is absolutely entrancing, smoothly caressing the melody while placing her melancholy assessment of the facts in literate, flowing imagery. "Ballad Of Fred Noonan" recounts the Amelia Earhart tragedy from the perspective of her navigator. Duvekot proves her credentials as a songwriter and story teller in an incredibly nuanced performance. "The Life Of A Princess" is a straight forward and moving statement of being from a young woman who will not be trapped within the boundaries of a fairy tale. The simple approach is affecting, powerful and ultimately beautiful.

"Phoenix" is a plaintive and lovely song about what might have been. Duvekot has a gentle touch here, traversing the gulf between heartache and strength with surprisingly subtle grace. "New Siberia" is best described as atmospheric folk; Duvekot meanders through this song of searching almost aimlessly in a rare miss. "Glamorous Girls" speaks to all those who feel marginalized because they aren't the popular girls. Wisdom and perspective predicts that each will find their time to share in a sentimental little ballad that's sweet and well-written. "Noah's Titanic" is a quietly frenetic story song that's disturbingly wordy. The stream of conscious Duvekot utilizes here is intriguing and almost frantic at times.

"Four Stitches" is a beautiful, imagery driven piece of songwriting that is impossible to shake. New and innocent love is the theme here, and Duvekot sketches her memory here in gently flowing poetry and gorgeous melody. On "Sleepy Sea Of Indigo And Blue", Duvekot invites love from a gentle hand. This is a lovely piece of songwriting that's full of quiet beauty.

If you need affirmation of Duvekot's songwriting finesse make sure you stick around for "The Perfect Date", where everything goes wrong on the way to going write. The light pop arrangement is note-perfect, and Duvekot delivers the story and melody like they were written for her by the universe itself. New Siberia winds down with the quietly lovely "Juliet"; a moment between friends etched in time and song.

Antje Duvekot is a name I have heard over the years spoken in reverence and awe, both for her unerring sense of melody and her sense of timing as a storyteller. It's good to report that New Siberia is strong affirmation that Duvekot has not been oversold. Listeners may not connect with every song on the album, but there is consistent quality and subtle grace in Duvekot's songwriting that is impossible to ignore. New Siberia doesn't bowl you over, but it is the sort of album you'll find yourself returning to again and again. Don't miss this one.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (out of 5)\

Learn more at www.antjeduvekot.com. 

Catherine Russell - Inside This Heart Of Mine

Catherine Russell - Inside This Heart Of Mine
2010, World Village/Harmonia Mundi S.A.

Catherine Russell has a voice you’ve heard many times even if you don’t know who she is. The New York City born daughter of Luis Russell (Louis Armstrong’s musical director) and Carline Ray (bassist and vocalist), Russell has performed or recorded with the likes of Paul Simon, David Bowie, Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, Jackson Browne and Rosanne Cash. In April of this year, Russell released her third studio album, Inside This Heart Of Mine, cementing her reputation as one of the most original voices in Jazz.

Russell opens with the title track. "Inside This Heart Of Mine" juxtaposes a regretful vocal line with a jaunty bass line, and Russell makes the most of this happy accident with a smooth voice you could listen to all day. The backing band is nothing to sneeze at either. On "All The Cats Join In" Russell gives us a healthy dose of gentle swing in a song about both the benefits and potential bedevilment of a good party. Russell does a splendid job with "We The People", but her band nearly steals the show with absolutely inspired play, layering solos one over the other in a way that should sound crowded but manages not to. Pianist Mark Shane is particularly impressive whether taking a solo lead or filling in and around Russell's angelic voice.

Russell shows her bluesy side on "Troubled Waters", lamenting the power of gossip to ruin a life, but returns to lighter fare with the classic-sounding love song "As Long As I Live". Russell's temperate alto inhabits this song and brings forth a sound so lovely and warm you'll be moved. The Sarah Vaughan comparisons are going to be made, particularly after this song. Hints of Reinhardt & Venuti can be heard in "Just Because You Can", with Russell taking vocal but sharing the stage equally with guitarist Matt Munisteri and violinist Sara Caswell. Russell is at her sharpest here, making the instruments step-for-step.

Russell excels at the upbeat "Close Your Eyes", and proceeds to start a musical party with "Quiet Whiskey", displaying the wit and enthusiasm the song calls for many times over. Once again, pianist Shane tries to steal the show with absolutely inspired play. You'll hear the sounds and strains of New Orleans on "Slow As Molasses" before Russell launches into the closing number, "Struttin' With Some Barbecue", a magical Dixieland number that will get you dancing.

Catherine Russell could suddenly appear in any era of American Jazz music and be a star. Her voice could fit comfortably amidst those of Holliday, Vaughan and Fitzgerald. Just as good is her backing band, which lights up the soundboard behind her. Inside This Heart Of Mine is destined for critics' year end lists.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Catherine Russell at http://www.catherinerussell.net/ or www.myspace.com/catrussell. Inside This Heart Of Mine is available from Amazon as either a CD or Download. Digital copies are also available via iTunes.

Review: Caroline Herring - Golden Apples Of The Sun

Caroline Herring - Golden Apples Of The Sun
2009, Signature Sounds

Caroline Herring has built a strong reputation as a songwriter and storyteller. Her most recent album, Lantana was named one of the "Top Ten Best Folk Albums" of 2008 by National Public Radio, and she has been lauded by publications and critics both large and small. Herring returns on October 27, 2009 with her fourth album, Golden Apples Of The Sun. A mix of originals and covers, Herring performs primarily with just her guitar and voice, recorded live in studio by David "Goody" Goodrich. With comparisons to artists such as Kate Wolf and Joan Baez, Herring has managed to find a touchstone aspect to her sound and style while remaining wholly herself.

Herring opens with a song that's as much an aural painting than anything else. Tales Of The Islander paints a picture of time and place that's palpable. Herring reminds us that occasionally a time and place we've been will burn its way into our consciousness; the world drops away and nothing else matters for a short time. Herring takes on Cyndi Lauper's True Colors and ends up sounding like she's trying to rush through the song. The tempo is rushed and the rendering is very grave for a song that's full of hope and love. Herring's cover of Long Black Veil is more on-target Herring's voice has a Rosanne Cash meets RJ Cowdery and Joni Mitchell quality that works well with her gentle arrangements.

See See Rider finds Herring sticking with the spirit of the original while morphing it into a gentle folk song with Country accents. This is the best vocal performance on the disc. Perhaps the best song on the disc is the cover of Joni Mitchell’s Cactus Tree, the story of a woman so intent on being free that she winds up empty and alone. The song is compelling and well-told. Herring has an Indigo Girls feel on A Little Bit Of Mercy, exploring the necessities of forgiveness and forgetfulness in love. Herring adapts a poem from William B. Yeats on Song Of The Wandering Aengus. My favorite song on the disc is up next: The Great Unknown. A song of soul searching, The Great Unknown doesn't challenge beliefs, but seems to ask what happens if we invest all of our energy into a belief and it turns out to be wrong. Herring's last number, The Wild Rose could be either a love song or a prayer. I'm leaning toward the latter but it's never explicitly clear. The melody is among the loveliest on the disc, and the song is played with pure heart.

Caroline Herring has a warm and earthy presence that just oozes off of Golden Apples Of The Sun. Her songwriting is top notch and her vocal performances are warm and right and draw the listener out of his/her shell. Golden Apples Of The Sun is definitely worth spending some time on; Caroline Herring has another solid effort on her hands!

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Caroline Herring at http://www.carolineherring.com/ or www.myspace.com/carolineherring. You can buy a copy of Golden Apples Of The Sun as either a CD or download from Amazon.com.

Review: Rosanne Cash - The List

Rosanne Cash - The List
2009, EMI/Manhattan Records

The List is something of a legend. When it became clear Rosanne Cash wanted to follow in her father's footsteps as a performer, Johnny Cash gave her a list of 100 songs to learn as her musical education. The list contained some of the greatest songs of the twentieth century from across all genres (Country, Jazz Blues, Folk, Bluegrass and even Pop). Rosanne Cash has considered doing a covers album for a few years now, and ultimately decided to go back to her musical roots as laid out by her Dad. The List, coming October 6, 2009, contains twelve songs from that venerable document, and is one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2009.

Cash opens with Bill Halley's Miss The Mississippi And You done in a luscious jazz arrangement. Cash shows elements of her Dad in her voice amid some subtle and thrilling guitar work. Motherless Children (Gary Davis) gets a Country/Blues treatment that's extremely well done. Cash is in her best and most affecting voice here. Bruce Springsteen makes a cameo on Don Gibson's Sea Of Heartbreak; a classic song of loneliness. Springsteen is the biggest surprise here, offering up an unusually reserved vocal performance that is a brilliant counterpoint to Cash's voice.

You know that no such List would forget Hank Williams. His Take These Chains From My Heart gets covered here in magical fashion. Rosanne Cash is on her game; and Ol Hank and Johnny would both be very proud of this rendition. Cash plays I'm Movin' On (Hank Snow) as a wonderfully slinky blues tune that is absolutely addicting. I remember hearing the refrain of this song repeatedly as a child on television commercials for Time-Life collections back when they were only available on LP. The song is an enduring one, and Cash keeps the spirit of the original firmly alive while giving it new life. Heartaches By The Number (Ray Price) features Elvis Costello on backing vocals in a tried-and-true rendition that stays very close to the original.

Perhaps the highlight of the disc is Long Black Veil. Mistaken identity, murder and an illicit love affair don't add up quite the way you'd expect in this classic tune that offers observations from beyond the veil. Cash is reverential in her reader of the Danny Dill/Marijohn Wilkin classic made famous by Lefty Frizzell. Wilco's Jeff Tweedy sits in. Up next is a Hank Cochran tune made famous by Patsy Cline; She's Got You has been covered by some many people over the years that the names blend into relative anonymity. Cash brings a fresh sense to this classic in a lush, weaving arrangement you won't soon forget. Bob Dylan's Girl From The North Country is up next in an arrangement that isn't too far removed from the one used by Dylan and dad Johnny back in 1969. If you're not familiar with this tune, you'll note some of the similarities between this song and Simon & Garfunkel's Scarborough Fair. Dylan borrowed a line from Scarborough Fair after learning a lot of British Folk music while staying in London. Cash covers Merle Haggard with the help of Rufus Wainwright on Silver Wings. It's a mellow pop/country arrangement; not my favorite version of the song but not bad. Cash says goodnight with Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow as if she were born to sing the Carter Family classic. It's a brilliant way to close out the disc.

The List is bound to be a popular release this year, and helps explain a lot about Rosanne Cash's musical choices over the years. With eighty-eight more songs that were passed down from father to daughter, don't be entirely surprised if a volume II follows down the road. For now, The List is an estimable collection of classic songs that should be a balm for the soul of fans of classic country music.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Rosanne Cash at http://www.rosannecash.com/. The List drops on October 6, 2009. You can pre-order your copy through Amazon.com. Expect wide availability both on the net and at bricks and mortar, as well as via download. Cash will debut the material from The List on WNYC's Soundcheck on September 23, 2009 at 2:00 PM EDT. You can watch the live webcast here.

Review: Roy Jay - Lucky Guy

Roy Jay - Lucky Guy
2009, Terrapin Records

Roy Jay put off music for twenty years while life ensued. A successful entrepreneur, Jay came home from a concert one night, sat down at his computer and ordered a guitar. Tired of his workaholic lifestyle, Jay channeled those tendencies into his music; playing six days per week and enrolling in Berklee School of Music's online program. Jay initially set out to record songs he could gig with, but found kismet with producer Chris Seefriend (Quincy Jones, Rosanne Cash), who seems to have brought out something more in Roy Jay. The result is Jay's debut CD, Lucky Guy, which features influences as distinct as Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Jimmy Buffet and the Grateful Dead.

Lucky Guy is an interesting and at times trying album as it appears Jay hasn't figured out who he is or wants to be musically. Lucky Guy opens with the title track, sounding a bit like a cross between Ricky Nelson and Jimmy Buffet. The low-key vocal line provides a laidback feel to the disc. Subway Ride clocks in at nearly 7:30 minutes and mixes elements of traditional Classic Rock and Psychedelia. In And Out Of Dreams is an esoteric and intelligent love that's perhaps a bit too much of each to connect with a majority of listeners. Mungo Jerry finds Guy revisiting his Buffet theme; it's a bit too derivate to sound like anything other than a tribute. Prettiest Girl In Wal-Mart is a fun tune that explores unrequited love in Sam's place and the unexpected consequences. This is an upbeat and fun track with a definite novelty tune air. Other highlights include California Grey, Time's Page and Wrinkle Your Dress.

Roy Guy just didn't pan out the way I'd hope from his promotional materials. Guy is a decent songwriter but perhaps just doesn't sell the material well. His vocal approach is laid back and unenthused and doesn't help to bring the listener in the way it might. Lucky Guy is a pleasant listen but doesn't leave the listener with any real compulsion to keep coming back.

Rating: 2.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Roy Jay at http://www.royjaymusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/royjaymusic. You can purchase a copy of Lucky Guy at www.cdbaby.com/cd/royjay.