Rj Cowdery: “What If This Is All There Is” (2019) CD Review

Rj Cowdery is a singer and songwriter based in Columbus, Ohio. Her new album, What If This Is All There Is, is full of beautiful, moving, emotionally engaging songs that feel designed to help pull us through these unsettling times and our own personal troubles. She provides a sweet and friendly voice, like a hand reaching out to us in the darkness. Most of the songs here are originals, written by Rj Cowdery. Joining her on this release are Thomm Jutz on acoustic guitar and electric guitar; Mark Fain on upright bass; Lynn Williams on drums; Jen Gunderman on keys; and Justin Moses on banjo, fiddle and mandolin. Ingrid Graudins, Melissa Greener and Amy Speace provide backing vocals. Amy Speace also produced the album.

Rj opens this new disc with “Somewhere A Place,” and her voice immediately draws me in. This song is beautiful and engaging, with an earnest and honest vocal performance. Check out these lines: “Trouble seemed to follow you around/You took some beatings into the arms of another town/Disappearing without a sound/ Somewhere a place, somewhere in time/Two hearts embrace what was left behind.” This track also features some nice work on keys. That’s followed by the album’s the title track, “What If This Is All There Is,” one of my favorites, in large part because of the song’s lyrics. Here is a taste: “Gotta figure out where I’m going/Maybe I’m not going anywhere/Are these miles that I drive, lines that I ride/Just a hopeless love affair/Because what if this is all there is/What if this is all the love I’m ever gonna give/And the ladder that I’m on/Standing on the highest rung/I’m ever gonna stand/What if this is all there is.” We all ask ourselves these questions, don’t we? And Rj’s delivery is full of passion and truth and life. This is a gorgeous and moving song.

“Secrets Of My Dreams” has something of a sweet and gentle folk sound, and I like Justin Moses’ work on both mandolin and fiddle here. “In the morning when I cry, I think about all that I am given/I think about everything I had, all the good and all the bad.” Then suddenly we get a song that comes on with more volume, more energy, more attitude, titled “Broken Wheel.” Its lyrics of course are just as compelling as those of the previous tracks. Check out these lines: “Life goes on even though you’re stuck/Your feet won’t move and your mind won’t heal/Everything’s a wreck, you’re a broken wheel/You told yourself so many times/If it got this bad you’d end it by/Popping of a gun, pushing of a pill/Make a big splash rolling down that hill.” That’s followed by a more intimate-sounding song, “Don’t Give Up,” in which Rj sings “Don’t you give up on this love/Don’t go racing the wind/Because it will blow, oh, but we can mend/We’re not broken if we bend.” She gives us another beautiful vocal performance here.

How often do we find ourselves saying there is no time these days? And as we get older, and time moves more quickly, it feels more and more difficult to find the time to do things like see friends, relax, read a book, and just feel good. In “Is There Time,” Rj Cowdery addresses this topic, singing “And I just don’t know what happened/Life keeps flashing by/If I could only take this moment.” She reminds us to take those moments, that time is there for us to use: “There’s time for just about anything that you can think of/There’s time in the morning when the sun is on the rise.” That’s followed by “Shotgun Rider,” which features some nice work on banjo, and then “Girl In The War,” the only song on the album not written by Rj Cowdery. It was written by Josh Ritter, and is the opening track on his 2006 album, The Animal Years. Rj does an excellent job with it, delivering a moving vocal performance. “I got a girl in the war, Paul, the only thing I know to do/Is turn up the music and pray that she makes it through.”

“Get Out Of Here” is a pretty and intimate and gentle song. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Maybe now is not the time to talk about the past/But I sure miss those days of wonder, I sure wish they would have lasted/Just a little bit longer, a few more years/Long enough to claim my innocence I hid behind the tears/I used to think I’d save the world with the words that I’d write down.” I also really like the work on acoustic guitar. This entire album is strong and engaging. It concludes with “Lost And Found,” which also has an intimate sound. I feel like Rj doesn’t hide anything; her voice, and her approach to a song make us feel that she opens herself. There is something so appealing about this song, in part because of lines like “And oh what a journey, such a hurry/Let’s slow this whole thing down” and “I think we’ve finally earned the time to sit back and exhale.” Here she again reminds us to take our time and enjoy our lives, for soon it will all be gone. This is another favorite of mine, and it features some beautiful stuff on fiddle.

CD Track List

1. Somewhere A Place
2. What If This Is All There Is
3. Secrets Of My Dream
4. Broken Wheel
5. Don’t Give Up
6. Is There Time
7. Shotgun Rider
8. Girl In The War
9. Get Out Of Here
10. Lost And Found

What If This Is All There Is was released on May 17, 2019.

Radical Face: “Therapy” (2019) CD Review

Therapy, the new release from Radical Face, is an interesting album. It’s an EP, sort of, except that it contains forty minutes of music. It’s just that it contains the same six songs twice, like two versions of the same EP. So call it an EP, call it an LP, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that these songs are good and compelling, somewhere in that realm between folk and pop. Radical Face is the project of Ben Cooper, who has been recording under that name for more than fifteen years. He basically does it all himself, and on Therapy, he wrote all the tracks, produced the music, and plays all the instruments, with the exception of the strings, played by Joshua Lee. As for the album’s title, is it suggesting the music here is therapy for the artist, or for us, or for both? I’m guessing the last, which is good, as we could probably all use a bit of therapy these days. And what works better than good music? The more I listen to this disc, the more I am struck by what an excellent songwriter Ben Cooper is.

The disc opens with “Doubt,” a pop song that has a gentle vibe, perhaps to help soothe us, perhaps to help him. Its opening lines grab me: “Staring into the sun/Always looking for an answer/When I know there isn’t one.” (Though the line about staring into the sun reminds me of that image of Donald Trump looking directly at the sun, one of his many moronic moments.) There is something oddly catchy about this song. “Drifting through another day/Can’t connect to what’s around me.” The second version of this song has a slightly rougher quality, which I like. I think I actually prefer this second version, though both are quite good. “I don’t know who to call my friends/I don’t know how to choose my sins/I don’t know how much more I can bend.” Yet there is a hint of optimism in this song, and perhaps a hint is all we can hope for, perhaps all we need. We’re all hanging in there, right?

“Doubt” is followed by “Hard Of Hearing,” which offers an intriguing combination of pop sounds and intimate, confessional vocals. The lyrics to this one are excellent. Here is a taste: “I memorize the ceiling with the fire at my feet/While I give myself advice that I can’t keep/I no longer ask myself what any of this means/I just want my mind to quit so I can finally fall asleep.” I think those are lines many folks will be able to relate to, and Ben’s voice is like a friend in the void. Songs like this one show just how good pop music can be. The second version begins more as folk, and has a sweet vibe. These are like songs from the edge, where so many people dwell these days. “I know I’m not well, but I’m all right.” “Personal Giants” is another captivating song, a song that seems to reach out to the listener. “When I was lost/You stood there, silent/And kept the light on inside me/And when I broke down/And all the world turned to grey/You told me time would be gentle.”  This is a gorgeous and engaging song, one of my personal favorites. The alternate version is a slightly more stripped down rendition, delivered on acoustic guitar, and is also beautiful. Then “Guilt” begins with drums, establishing a good, solid groove before his tender vocals come in. This one has a fuller pop sound, but still with a passion at its core. “And once you see what lies behind a mask/That mask will never look the same/And once a pattern shows itself/You can’t pretend that nothing’s changed.” The second version begins quite differently, on acoustic guitar, though it does develop a beat. This version is somewhat shorter.

Interestingly, it is the first version of “Better Days” that is delivered on acoustic guitar. “I know right now it feels like hell/And nothing’s going all that well/When it’s always raining in your head/And it’s hard to see beyond your bed/Just remind yourself/That it’s probably gonna take some time.” I love the intimate, honest vocal delivery, at moments his voice supported by just acoustic guitar, and then gorgeous swells of strings. Here he offers hope, telling us again to hang in there. “There are better days to find.” The second version is then delivered on piano and strings. Both versions are beautiful. Then “Dead Ends” begins with strings and guitar, and immediately addresses hope directly, as if personified: “Hello, hope, it’s been a while.” There is a beautifully sad tone to this, though not quite defeated. “I thought I was damned to watch life through my hands/No, I’m not in the place I thought I’d be/Makes looking back a whole lot simpler.” But then there is a positive spin, sort of, as he sings “Well, there’s no need to run when you’re traveling down the wrong road.” I love that line. Actually, this song has so many good lines, I could quote the entire thing. It’s probably best that you just pick up the CD and listen to it for yourself.

CD Track List

1. Doubt
2. Hard Of Hearing
3. Personal Giants
4. Guilt
5. Better Days
6. Dead End
7. Doubt
8. Hard Of Hearing
9. Personal Giants
10. Guilt
11. Better Days
12. Dead End

Therapy was released on April 26, 2019.

Prom Night: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2019) CD Review

My grandparents had a fairly large collection of movies on videocassettes, and when I was growing up, my brother and I would spend weekends at their house, watching movie after movie. One of the movies we watched over and over was Prom Night, which we both found scary at the time. One of the elements that stayed with me over the years was the film’s music, particularly that theme song, which gets in my head periodically. Now, after decades, we finally get an official CD release of the full soundtrack, score and songs, including some tracks that weren’t used in the final cut and were previously unreleased, even unofficially. It’s been a long time coming, but we finally have the soundtrack we’ve been wanting. And this release includes “Dance Till You Die: The Making And Scoring Of Prom Night,” a piece written by Gergely Hubai, along with a note from Silvio Barretta, who co-produced this album.

The tracks are divided into four groupings, the first being the score used in the film. The music was composed by Paul Zaza and Carl Zittrer, who also – together or separately – wrote the music for such movies as Murder By Decree, My Bloody Valentine, A Christmas Story and Porky’s. The pieces in this first section are arranged basically in the order they occur in the film, beginning with that great opening. That first scene creeped me out when I was a kid, especially the very beginning when you hear the children but don’t yet see them. Some of this music gives me the chills, and would be a perfect choice to play on Halloween if you are eager to frighten the neighborhood kids. I particularly love “Prom Night Suspense Theme,” with even those pauses being filled with dread and horror.

The second section of music is made up of pieces of the score that ended up not being used in the film. Most of these are very short, with only a few being more than a minute long. The most significant piece, at least in terms of length, is “Haunting Robin,” which has a fantastic tension and an eerie quality. “Calm Before The Storm” is another of this section’s best selections. And a piece titled “Eerie” touches upon some of the same themes as “Opening.” “Hunted” is a suspenseful piece making interesting use of percussion.

The third section is made up of the songs used in the film. Now this is back in the day when “original motion picture soundtrack” meant just that, that it contained original music. Sure, the reason behind the writing of these songs might have been financial, that the budget didn’t have room for the purchasing of rights to popular songs, but the results are original and memorable tracks. The first of these songs is “Dancin’ In The Moonlight,” obviously not to be confused with the King Harvest hit song from the 1970s. This is a pretty solid disco song, about dancing and having no cares, working in contrast to what we know is about to happen in the film. I like that kind of funky instrumental section toward the end. That’s followed by “Love Me Till I Die,” and of course I appreciate the delightfully morbid humor of this one. By the way, these songs are also presented in basically the order you hear them in the film.

The main song of this section is “Tonight Is Prom Night,” the most memorable of the tunes from the film, and the one that gets in my head to this day. Until now I had never heard it without also seeing the accompanying images on screen, and it’s interesting to find it really works on its own. I love the way it starts, with a little tease and then bursting in with that beat. “Prom night/Everything is all right.” Oh yes. Many of the lines have a humorous bent when taken in the context of the film – “Tell me you will love me forever” and “Tonight is the night for me and you” – but without that context, this song is a fun, upbeat, innocent, totally enjoyable number. That’s followed by “Changes,” a tune that itself has some interesting little changes and makes good use of horns. “Time To Turn Around” is a good title for a song in a horror film, right? Look behind you! There’s not all that much to this song, but I suppose that can be said about a whole lot of disco songs. That’s followed by “Fade To Black,” that moving song that plays as the closing credits begin. It’s probably the film’s best song, and is the last song of this section.

The disc’s final section is made up of songs that were not used in the movie, beginning with a disco song titled “Prom Night.” “Tonight Is Prom Night” is a better song, so it’s not difficult to see why this one wasn’t included. But I’m glad it’s included here, and I like that instrumental section with saxophone toward the end. That’s followed by “Disco Out The Back Door,” a simple but fun number, and then “You Can Be What You Want To Be,” probably the best of the previously unreleased songs. This one has a delicious groove and is certain to get you moving. “Another Disco Funk Track” is also fun, with a bit of a New Orleans vibe, which I like. “Funk Dat Disco” has, as you’d expect, a funky rhythm. The disc then concludes with “Burnin’ With Desire.” “I can’t fight it, I won’t even try/Go on burnin’, baby, ‘til the day I die/Ooh, the day that I die.”

CD Track List

1. Opening
2. Killer’s Call List
3. Tearing Up Yearbook
4. Beach Flashback
5. Prom Night Cello Theme
6. Killer Tension
7. Prom Night Suspense Theme
8. Piano Theme
9. Hallway Chase
10. Haunting Robin
11. Calm Before The Storm
12. Caught In The Web
13. Eerie
14. Escape
15. Hunted
16. Lurking
17. Quivering
18. Trapped
19. Who’s There?
20. Vertigo
21. Waiting
22. Mystery Build
23. Dancin’ The Moonlight
24. Love Me Till I Die
25. Tonight Is Prom Night
26. Changes
27. Time To Turn Around
28. Fade To Black
29. Prom Night
30. Disco Out The Back Door
31. You Can Be What You Want To Be
32. Another Disco Funk Track
33. Funk Dat Disco
34. Burnin’ With Desire

Prom Night: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is scheduled to be released on June 7, 2019.

ESOEBO: “VI” (2019) CD Review

Look, I know we all hate the state of Georgia right now, because of its backward, dangerous, and completely disgusting politics. I personally think the Republican Party should be utterly destroyed. But I know for a fact that there are some good people in Georgia. They are concentrated in the Atlanta area, so you can go on hating the rest of the state (and all of Alabama, of course). But there is good music coming out of Georgia, like the duo of Chuck McDowell and Gail Burnett, known collectively as ESOEBO. Gail plays cello, so that right there proves she’s a good person. Anyway, ESOEBO – the name is an acronym for “Eclectic Selections Of Everything But Opera” – is putting out a new album, VI, featuring all original material, written or co-written by Chuck McDowell. Joining them on this release are Phil Madeira on guitar, lap steel, piano, and organ; Will Kimbrough on guitar and mandolin; Chris Donohue on bass and guitar; Bryan Owings on drums; Dennis Holt on drums; and Roland Barber on trumpet and trombone.

The album opens with “Airplane,” which is kind of adorable, almost like a children’s song, but also with a style from an older era, the vocal line at times reminding me a bit of “Makin’ Whoopee.” Here is a taste of the lyrics: “We’re going on an airplane/Way up in the sky/We’re going on an airplane/Hoping we won’t die.” It’s a totally enjoyable song, with some nice touches on horn. That’s followed by “Sweet Talk,” a somewhat playful tune which has a relaxed vibe. “She’s got curves/Where curves are supposed to be/Shiny white teeth/She’s smiling right at me.” Then “I Don’t Trust Her” is an odd sort of love song, in which Chuck sings, “The more she drinks, the better I look,” then “Well, I don’t trust her when she’s been drinking.”

One of my personal favorite tracks is “Expressions.” It begins with some delicious, light work on piano, and is a delightful love song delivered as a wonderful duet. “Don’t need to see that ol’ Grand Canyon/I’m happy sitting here, holding your hand and/Don’t need to travel to the Great Wall of China/I’m happy here just sitting right beside ya.”  So nice, and this one features some enjoyable percussion. Though of course I still want to travel to some of the places mentioned in the song with the woman I love, like to Rome. That’s followed by “Baby, I Love Your Shoes,” a country rock and roll number. I’ve never quite understood the shoe thing, but I like this playful song, particularly the line that hints at the man’s crossdressing, “I’m just very grateful that we both have the same foot size.” (Years ago, when I was living in Oregon, the band I was in had a song with similar angle, “One For Her Clothes.”)

ESOEBO then turns more serious with the emotionally engaging “Hurricane,” which has a darker, more somber tone. I’m particularly fond of Gail’s work on cello on this track, but this one also features what I think is Chuck’s best vocal performance of the album. “Looking back when it’s too late/Got to move, can’t hesitate/And I’m leaning into the eye/Well, I’m praying I don’t die.” His delivery has an honesty, a straight-forward aspect that is effective. That’s followed by another serious-sounding and powerful number, “Still Be Me,” which has a beauty, their voices sounding so good together. “If ashes turn to ashes/And dust returns to dust/I’ll still be me/I’ll still be me.” This is another of my favorites.

“A Woman’s Touch” is a mellow and kind of pretty song. (On the CD case it is listed as “A Women’s Touch,” but I’m assuming that’s a printing error). “Give our lives if we must/It should be love, but it may be lust/Every man craves a woman’s touch.” The album then concludes with “I’ll Follow The Sky,” a strong track. Check out these lines: “Trying to shake off what’s behind/Unsure of what’s ahead/Right and left both look the same/There’s demons I’ve got to shed.”

CD Track List

1. Airplane
2. Sweet Talk
3. I Don’t Trust Her
4. Longtime
5. Expressions
6. Baby, I love Your Shoes
7. Hurricane
8. Still Be Me
9. Far Away Tale
10. A Woman’s Touch
11. I’ll Follow The Sky 

VI is scheduled to be released on May 31, 2019.

Mindi Abair And The Boneshakers: “No Good Deed” (2019) CD Review

Mindi Abair is a vocalist and saxophonist who has been releasing albums for two decades, as well as performing with other artists. She has moved from pop to blues rock, joining forces with The Boneshakers, led by guitarist Randy Jacobs, whom you might know from his work with Was (Not Was). Their new album, No Good Deed, is the group’s third studio release, following last year’s holiday album All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues. This new release features mostly original material, along with a few interesting choices of covers, and was recorded in only five days. The band is made up of Mindi Abair on vocals and saxophone, Randy Jacobs on guitar and vocals, Rodney Lee on keys and vocals, Third Richardson on drums and vocals, and Ben White on bass and vocals. There are also a few guest musicians on certain tracks.

The album opens with one of its covers, “Seven Day Fool,” a song written by Billy Davis and originally recorded by Etta James. This rendition by Mindi Abair And The Boneshakers is a bluesy rock number, coming straight at you, without any nonsense, but with some surprises. Those synth strings sounds, for example, are an interesting element. Then toward the end, suddenly the saxophone shouts out, which is wonderful. And there is a bit with hand claps that seriously reminds me of a moment from “Born To Hand-Jive” in Grease. Yeah, it’s a fun track. Then “No Good Deed Goes Unpunished” begins with a solid beat, and has a delicious rock feel almost immediately. Mindi sings about music making the world all right, but that a life in music brings the troubles of men who are less than faithful and friends who use you. But, oh, check out that guitar. And then that sax! These guys seem to be able to handle the troubles. “I’m just trying to make a difference, so get out of my way.”

The group’s cover of “You Better Run” comes thumping in with a mean groove, with the saxophone adding excellent little thoughts. Actually, the more I listen to it, the more I think it’s those touches on saxophone at the beginning that establish this rendition as something special. At any rate, it’s a really cool take on the song, which was originally done by The Young Rascals, and later covered by Pat Benatar.  Mindi Abair And The Boneshakers then slow things down a bit with “Sweetest Lies,” Mindi singing “I believe what you say/When you look at me that way.” Ah, but is she really vulnerable? The vocal performance here is sometimes sweet, sometimes raw, sometimes powerful. “Is it wrong, is it right/That I let you make me cry/I can’t leave, I know why/Because you tell me the sweetest lies.”

Mindi Abair’s version of “Good Day For The Blues” has a party beat, with a bit of a New Orleans vibe, and features nice stuff on keys. It seems that every day in these dark times is a good day for the blues. Or, at least, every day during this horror show we do have the blues, good day for it or not. Then there is a good lead on saxophone halfway through this track, and we get a kind funky little jam, which I appreciate. That’s followed by “Mess I’m In,” which has a nice groove. “I should straighten up around here/Don’t know where to begin.” Oh man, I can relate to those lines. Yeah, it’s not just a figurative mess, but a literal one. “Where did this all begin/Everything’s under my skin/When will it ever end/This mess I’m in.”

“Bad News” is blues with a cool, sly vibe, and Mindi Abair’s vocal delivery has a sexy intimacy. And that horn sounds just perfect, creating a vivid atmosphere. Nick Lane plays trombone on this one. This is a delicious track, one of my favorites. “The bad news has arrived/It’s closing time.” That’s followed by “Movin’ On,” which has a heavier rock sound. Then “Who’s Gonna Save My Soul?” is a gorgeous, soulful, and moving song. “I gave every breath to you/Saved none for me.” This one features more excellent work on saxophone. The album concludes with a cover of Ike & Tina Turner’s “Baby, Get It On,” a rock and roll song with a good amount of energy. Third Richardson joins Mindi on lead vocals on this duet, and Lee Thornberg is on trumpet and trombone, and Paulie Cerra plays tenor saxophone.

CD Track List

1. Seven Day Fool
2. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
3. You Better Run
4. Sweetest Lies
5. Good Day For The Blues
6. Mess I’m In
7. Bad News
8. Movin’ On
9. Who’s Gonna Save My Soul?
10. Baby, Get It On

No Good Deed is scheduled to be released on June 28, 2019 on Pretty Good For A Girl Records.

Christina LaRocca: “These Are My Whiskey Dreams” (2019) CD Review

Christina LaRocca is a singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles, her music touching upon blues, pop, reggae, folk, country, and soul. But whatever musical realm she dives into, her voice remains the driving force of the songs. She has power and passion in that voice. You can hear that passion on every track of her new release, These Are My Whiskey Dreams. Joining her on this album are Gene Micofsky on guitar and bass, Leanne Bowes on bass, Dylan Hayden Cooper on drums, Zak St. John on drums, Jake Pinto on piano and organ, and Andros Rodriguez on synths, along with some guests on certain tracks.

The disc opens with “A Man Like You,” which was written by Christina LaRocca and Andros Rodriguez. There are blues influences as well as country elements, and the whole thing is wrapped in a wild, lively, cool sound that immediately grabs you, its percussion giving you the feeling of being out on the road somewhere. Christina’s vocal approach is like that of someone who absolutely has to get her point across, and will hold your attention until she’s done with you. “And by your side I swear I will stand/Because I’ve never loved a man like you.” Then suddenly the song takes an unexpected turn toward reggae. Then we’re in a modern pop land with “Capsized,” complete with turntable scratch sounds. But the power to her voice is the same, and that’s the draw. “Don’t you know these are dangerous times/Count your blessings every night, pray you can read the signs.”

Christina then takes another turn, this time toward folk, at the beginning of “Home,” but with a steady beat. And the song builds from there, and features another passionate vocal performance. I’ve mentioned this a few times, but I need to make a mix CD of songs titled “Home” (why haven’t I done that yet?). I don’t think I’ve encountered a bad song with that title. After you listen to this song, check out songs titled “Home” by artists like Ellis Paul, Erica Blinn, Michelle Malone, The Evangenitals, The Spongetones, The Ides Of March, Joe Walsh, James Houlahan, Janiva Magness, Iggy Pop, Fernando Perdomo and Anton Fig. Here is a taste of the lyrics from Christina LaRocca’s “Home”: “I miss the world that didn’t feel so small/But I can’t look back/I won’t turn around/Not a day goes by that I don’t miss my home.” That’s followed by “Hard To Trust In Love,” which begins softly and features Simone Vitucci on cello, an instrument I am always happy to hear. This is a pretty and emotionally engaging song, and Christina’s vocals are really the focus here. “It’s been hard to trust in love/Especially when she says time is going to heal up all the cuts.” In the song’s second half, it begins to build and then suddenly bursts into another level before returning to its softer beginning.

While Christina LaRocca flirted with a reggae vibe in “A Man Like You,” she goes more fully into the reggae realm with “Smoke Marijuana.” Yeah, I suppose it’s an obvious choice for a song touting the joys of pot, but of course it works. The main rhyme is a bit weak and silly: “Smoke marijuana/Babe, I know you wanna.” This was the first song I heard from this album, back in mid-April, and it didn’t grab me the way these other tracks later did. But it’s still an enjoyable tune, with a good groove. That’s followed by “Whiskey Dreams,” a slower, yet exciting song with a lot of soul and a good opening line: “You only buy me flowers when you are sorry.” Christina belts out some of the lyrics of this song, which is sort of the album’s title track. Her fantastic vocal performance here helps make this one of my personal favorites. Then “Hearts Beat Faster” is a pop song with a dance beat. That’s followed by “Breathe,” a cool, groovy tune with soul and power. “It’s always a bloody fight, the constant battle between my heart and mind.” Christina’s voice is a physical force that can shake giants and foundations and cause earthquakes. As such, it may be considered a danger for her to remain in Los Angeles.

Only eight tracks are listed on the CD case, but there are actually ten. The last two aren’t hidden; they are presented as separated tracks. The first is “Child Of The Sun,” which has a nice groove and yet another soaring vocal performance. The lines “If I can get it all down before daylight/I’ll get some sleep tonight” remind me of lines from the Grateful Dead’s “Friend Of The Devil,” “If I get home before daylight/I just might get some sleep tonight.” And then “I Am Only Human” has something of a classic rhythm and blues sound, which I dig. “I’m only one person/One choice/But together we have voice/To choose love over hate/Show compassion, educate/Use less, don’t waste/Before it’s too late.” These final two songs were released digitally on November 3, 2017.

CD Track List

1. A Man Like You
2. Capsized
3. Home
4. Hard To Trust In Love
5. Smoke Marijuana
6. Whiskey Dreams
7. Hearts Beat Faster
8. Breathe
9. Child Of The Sun
10. I Am Only Human

These Are My Whiskey Dreams is scheduled to be released on July 12, 2019.

Hazel Mitchell-Bell: “Stronger Than Ever” (2019) CD Review

On her new album, Stronger Than Ever, vocalist Hazel Mitchell-Bell delivers some passionate and moving renditions of classic material, including songs by Nina Simone, Ann Ronell and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Joining her on this release are Craig Alston on saxophone and flute, Vince Evans on piano and keyboards, Robert Fiester on guitar, James B. King Jr. on bass, J.C. Jefferson Jr. on drums, Asali Ruth McIntyre on violin, Bonnie Grier on violin, Gerard Battle on viola, Denna Purdie on cello, Chris Barrick on vibraphones, and Kim Sator-Randolph on harp.

The album opens with Nina Simone’s compelling “Four Women,” a rather daring choice for a lead-off track. Hazel Mitchell-Bell delivers an excellent vocal performance, embodying different characters. There is drama to this piece, to her delivery. “My skin is brown/My manner is tough/I'll kill the first mother I see/’Cause my life has been rough/Yes, I’m awfully bitter these days/Because my parents were slaves.” There are some wonderful touches on piano here. There is also a really nice piano part to “Autumn Leaves.” The bass has a relaxed feel, but this version isn’t really mellow. Hazel’s vocals and the flute have an undeniable energy.

Hazel Mitchell-Bell then moves into the 1970s with “Everything Must Change,” a haunting song written by Benard Ighner and recorded by Nina Simone, Randy Crawford and others. “Everything must change/Nothing stays the same/Everyone must change/No one stays the same/The young become the old.” Again, Hazel delivers a passionate and moving vocal performance. This rendition also features some good work on saxophone, and some pretty work on piano. Hazel Mitchell-Bell remains in the 1970s for a cool, smooth, soulful rendition of “Feel Like Makin’ Love” (here written has “Feel Like Making Love”), a song that was written by Eugene McDaniels and originally recorded by Roberta Flack. “That’s the time I feel like making sweet love to you/Come on, boy, now/That’s the time I feel like making all my dreams come true.” Ah, who could turn her down? This track features a nice lead on saxophone.

Hazel’s version of “I Wish You Love” begins with some passionate and stirring vocals. Then, once it kicks in, it swings. “I wish you shelter from the storm/A cozy fire to keep you warm/But most of all, when snowflakes fall, I wish you love.” Oh yes, Hazel really lets it rip here at moments. “Willow Weep For Me” opens with bass, and immediately is one of my favorite tracks. I love hearing Hazel’s vocals supported by just bass at the beginning. Then when the other musicians come in, the track becomes even cooler somehow. What an excellent take on this song, with wonderful touches on keys and sax. Plus, there is a lead on bass partway through. There is also something kind of sexy about her approach, particularly when she sings “Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me.”

Hazel Mitchell-Bell delivers a lively rendition of “One Note Samba,” a tune written by Antonio Carlos Jobim. She is clearly enjoying herself here, and gives us an excellent performance. That’s followed by “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” a song that was originally a folk song, and has been recorded by a lot of artists over the years. From the start, Hazel Mitchell-Bell’s version has a gorgeous, late-night vibe, in part because of the saxophone. Then “Let There Be Love” has a joyful swing. I dig the instrumental section in the second half of the track, with great stuff on saxophone. That bass really grooves, pops and swings. “But first of all, please let there be love.” Yes.

CD Track List

1. Four Women
2. Autumn Leaves
3. Everything Must Change
4. Feel Like Making Love
5. I Wish You Love
6. Louisiana Sunday Afternoon
7. Willow Weep For Me
8. Rio de Janeiro Blue
9. Skylark
10. One Note Samba
11. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
12. Let There Be Love
13. The Makings Of You 

Stronger Than Ever was released on CD on May 3, 2019, but apparently was available digitally before that.