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MUSICDISH CD REVIEWS
This band rocks! If that statement is not enough to get your blood circulating then one listen to the new Canvas album Four Days Awake will having you whistling a different tune. I swear on a stack of bibles that this great music will have you enamored within seconds, or a bolt of lightning shall strike me dead as I sit here writing these words.
The dominating guitars offer variable paces and tones, running the gamut of fast and hard, melodic and funky. Not only do the six-strings pack a knockout punch, the bottom end of Brad Byram (bass, vocals) and Scott Thomas (drums, loops) is as solid as rock. With stellar drums and bass paving the way, the rest of the band has all the momentum that is necessary to direct each track. The lead singer Joseph King fondly reminded me of John Hermann of Widespread Panic, and their music at times did too. It is not as fusion/jam based as WSP though. They definitely have there own sound and style that puts them into a separate categorization, which is a difficult thing to do in the rock genus. Coming from a hotbed of music in Austin, Texas certainly has helped to define their sound and cause. My favorites are "Jezebel" and their spiritual ode to rock 'n' roll "Om/Inside of You." Mercy me, these songs grab you with more hooks than a weekend bass fishing contest. Done with oomph and authority, it sucks you right in and does not let go. Those two songs are the shining gems of this entire treasure chest of musical supremacy. Chances are if you play this CD enough, you may find yourself awake for four days, so be careful. This is an astonishing album with outstanding production values making it one of the best I have had the pleasure to listen to this year.
Laura Turner needs to be picked up for a Lord of the Rings or other big budget fantasy movie soundtrack. Her voice is that of a sprite or good witch which has the ability to make you fall in love with her after just a few bars of her singing. The fact that she happens to be a babe, most notable in the video of the title song 'Soul Deep,' is just green leaves on the roses of the frosting on the cake.
"Something
happens when you kiss me "Time
stops and I'm suspended So speaks the opening and title track, which will blow you away, like the rest of the album, by the starring voice, swirling in lavish production. Sometimes a dance beat claims your pants, sometimes it's a beautiful ballad which lays a hand on your heart. It's a very pop oriented album, aimed at a mainstream market: tuneful, romantic, today. There are operatic-type moments, whole notes for showing off those pipes, but they aren't long lasting. Laura does her best just singing the songs without any stupid electronic effects or a long filter like Phil Collins used to love. That nakedness will endure you to her easier than any vocal tricks she might pull off in the odd moment. "I love opera, but I found myself straining against its edges," says Turner. "In classical music, the goal is to find emotion without straying from rigid, conservative interpretations of the music. I kept wanting to ad lib and dance a little with the melodies and arrangements, to explore the playfulness and intimacy I'd discovered in pop." You'll love her. She's going to have to beat them off with sticks.
I have one to thing to say about Kim Char Meredith's voice...WOW! Her new release "Give and Take," is an awe-inspiring and bracing experience offering the listener an extraordinary exhibition of vocal talent. This woman is deep and passionate when sings and plays. Check out the name of her label, Passionate Woman Records, which says it all. After listening to this fine album twice and then watching her video of "You Want In," I became firmly convinced that if this woman gets the opportunities that she deserves she could very well become a diva that the entire world will know about in a very short time. She hails from Hawaii and her presence there has been evident for several years, as she has garnered a lot of attention and awards for previous releases. Meredith is inspirational when she belts out a song; her voice is without question an instrument of musical divinity that will awaken your spirit and stir your emotions. I do not say things like this without being able to feel it first, and I have to tell you that I felt blown away by this woman's command with her approach, style, and vocal prowess. Her music is a beautiful combination of pop, folk, rock, and just a hint of country around the fringes. When I hear music that is full of honesty and purpose like this, I quickly realize the intent of the artist and what it is they are trying to convey in a song. All of this pouring out of the soul makes my ears take notice and my heart flutter. I cannot think of better way to start and end a day than listening to such uplifting music as this.
WARNING: COMPILATION ALBUM AHEAD! Most of the albums from which these tracks were pulled I've heard in their entirety, and I must say, the choices are excellent. It's a delight to revisit these old friends again. 'I Don't Speak Spanish' was memorable the first time. Denise Cook and her clear, clean vocals emitting the title against those Bobby Matos timbales - well, for it ruins the instrumental feel of the album, but any other track would be a sin against Cubop.
All in all, it's 70 minutes of: and shows off the best of the best label around for Latin beat. Even those you who might expect it to show off more jazz than Latin, like 'My Favorite Things,' don't you worry. Viva Cubop 3 is one of the tightest samplers going for the genre. And it's a hell of a lot cheaper to start with if you're such a fool that you haven't heard some of these cds already.
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Artist: Canvas (
Artist: Laura Turner 
Artist: Kim Char Meredith (
Artist: Various 