After listening to this CD, I gained a new respect for Alec Fraser's talents as a producer. He's done a great job propping up the lightweight tone of Jamie Browning�s vocals with the seasoned chops of her partner Iain Green (drummer) and hired top-guns Michael Keith on guitar, Bryan Huntley and Alec Fraser himself alternating on bass guitar, and Michael Fonfara on piano and B3. Kenmi Chank, Rod Phillips and Dave Powell also make respectable guest appearances on guitar, B3 and piano.
There�s an undeniable blues element in the majority of these smartly crafted compositions, but despite the solid backing instrumentation, Ms. Browning is just not convincing as a blues singer. That�s not to say she can�t gain credibility in this regard, but there isn�t a whole lot of tonal power in her delivery. Whether that can be attributed to the fear factor of being accompanied by much more experienced players will become more evident as she continues to pay her own dues. She certainly seems comfortable enough behind a microphone, especially on the honky-tonking �So Much to Learn�.
The lyrics, generally speaking, are witty and humorous, particularly in �Hockey Strike Blues�: �I want him to play with my puck and do the thing that rhymes with puck; but all he does is sit and sigh; And all I wanna do is cry; Unless his team is scoring; That man is really boring; I�m shut out, he�s in the zone; Of lockout low testerone�.
The songs are naturally female-oriented, focusing on romance (or lack thereof), recurrent physical separations and the lack of synchronicity in relationships, issues to which most women can easily relate.
Despite the sad-sack looks portrayed on the cover art, the upbeat but relaxed tempo of the music and feathery vocals have more in common with a TGIF cocktail lounge than a barroom for down-and-outers. Still, this optimistic attitude is explained in the �There Was a Time�: �Once in a while even I have the blues; Oh but I�ve come to see what sets you free is what you do between bouts of the blues�. In other words, I suppose, you don�t necessarily have to be living the life without being exposed to it from time to time.
As long as you don�t buy this album thinking it�s purely blues music, you�ll likely find several tracks that strike your fancy, as it also incorporates elements of smooth jazz and soft rock'n'roll. |
