SHORT SCALE: CD reviews in 200 words or less
By Rachel Heisler
CD review: Kate Tucker & The Sons of Sweden, Self-titled (Red Valise Recordings)
Rating: 4 out of 5 geetars
Ya just can’t help but compare Kate Tucker’s voice to Alanis Morrisette, Nina Gordon and even Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan. Good for people who like to feel familiar with new artists on a basic level right from the get-go, but highly distracting when you keep thinking, “Oh, this sounds like … “. But factoring in Tucker’s gifted abilities as a songwriter, especially on songs like “Faster Than Cars Drive,” and she ranks right up there with those ladies who have already made a name for themselves. Tucker is spellbinding on “In Your Dreams” and “The First Day of the Year,” and she’s created the musical equivalent of stars shooting across the night sky.
Tucker isn’t a rocker per se … not that she’s not a powerhouse, ’cause she certainly is, she just happens to pull off powerhouse while at the same time being soft and delicate. Fragility is the album’s main theme, maybe stemming partly from the fact that she was sick with Typhoid Fever while recording the album. Beyond, her songs are a reflection of a woman’s vulnerable soul, and the song “In the End” says it all, and it says it loud and clear.
CD review: Sandy Zio, All That I Am (ZioSongs)
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 geetars
She may be new to recording, but incorporating the talents of co-producer and Grammy Award-winning Glenn Barratt (Jill Scott, Diana Ross) didn’t hurt. She’s also had the help of Billy Joel bandmates Liberty DeVitto (drums) and Richie Cannata (sax), horn players from Tower of Power, Jef Lee Johnson (guitarist; Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin) and others to further highlight her musical abilities … can’t go wrong with help like that.
The New Jersey singer and pianist makes easy listening fun with original tunes coupled with covers of songs by Stevie Wonder (“Overjoyed”) and The Carpenters (“We’ve Only Just Begun”). Original “Don’t Stop Takling” is playful with a more pop jam, while still pulling off a romantic flavor; the disk’s title track is a heartfelt piece that comes across as Zio’s favorite due to exceptionally fervent vocals; and “Sister Madeline” offers an unexpected, jazzy dance groove with mischievous lyrics.
Sandy Zio is an all around pleasure to listen to, both as a vocalist and songwriter, and she evidently has a way with getting what she needs from those with whom she works. It’s very mellow, very straight-forward music, and classical romance sounds great when pouring from this lips of this natural-born entertainer.
CD review: Rachael Sage, Chandelier (Mpress Records)
Rating: 1.5 out of 5 geetars
Singer and self-taught pianist Rachael Sage has some e-splaining to do. Why, how, do so many of the lyrics and music demonstrated on Chandelier sound so very similar to that recorded by Ani DiFranco?
With opening number “Veritgo,” Sage unleashes a dizzying number of DiFranco-isms. Her vocals are filled with bitterness but lack the dramatic metaphor displayed by DiFranco. Sage’s phrasing, whether on the angry songs or the more subdued love songs, reflects Difranco’s almost to a T. When she pulls away from the DiFranco sound, Chandelier has a hard time pulling its own weight. Sage tries to use her voice to express the importance of her words instead of writing words that can hold their own. Of course, anything on this disk would be perfect music to be played on One Tree Hill or any of those other mainstream girlie television shows.
Sage needs to buy some well-written songs and see where they take her. Maybe move towards the genre of adult contemporary and give the low-resolution pop a rest for awhile. While all artists should stay true to their craft, Sage needs a few adjustments if she wants to strike a chord with a larger audience.
