A stellar second CD
Joseph R. Luca | Brookline, MA USA | 02/22/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What do you do to follow up a debut CD that was near-perfect? One that brought critical acclaim and garnered you the New Artist of the Year award from Boston's prestigious folk-radio station WUMB? If you're Claudia Russell (and trusty sidekick Bruce Kaplan), you release an eclectically brilliant second CD, "Ready to Receive." While wonderfully complemented here by a cache of fabulous musicians, Russell and Kaplan are a formidable duo---Russell handles guitar (and the occasional omnichord), while being The Voice. And what a voice---sweet, sultry, able to master virtually any genre. And while Russell is a fabulous interpreter/arranger of traditionals and covers, she is also an outstanding songwriter. On "Ready to Receive, " she wrote or co-wrote seven of the 13 tracks. Kaplan is a terrific mandolinist, and a string guru in general, while also being the musical field general.
The eclecticism of the disc isn't restricted to the musical styles---it's also wonderfully varied thematically and by mood. The title track is a beautiful, lilting ode to being finally able to accept love. "Galesburg" evokes the desolation of a cold midwestern train station at night and the demise of a relationship. "Oh California" is a romp that details Russell's love/hate relationship with her state of California. "He Ain't Coming Back" is a gritty, bluesy, vivid picture of a hard-living woman whose husband has left her and their daughter to escape the dreary, mundane life at home. The centerpiece of the CD is Russell's raw, fearful paean to her late mother: "Just Like You" chronicles Russell's coming to grips with being the same age her mother was when she died from breast cancer, and honestly catalogues the range of emotions Russell manifests---it's a harmonica-driven wailer whose melodic urgency echoes the racing of the narrator's emotions.
Jeff Talmadge's "Lie to Me" is an irresistible tune that all-too-accurately describes the way we long to hear lies from an object of affection, in the face of the unpleasant truth. "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" is a compelling Newgrass-y take on Dylan's chestnut. The disc ends with three very different songs: "Bugs" is a moodily charming fantasia of an afternoon in the garden, and even manages to include "ocarina" in its narration. "Miss Fortune," authored by Lori B, is a thumping old-timey piece that could easily be a part of Leon Redbone's repertoire (perhaps in conjuction with the Dresden Dolls), and yet its arrangement can't disguise the darkness at its core. It's a bit of a musical oxymoron---the oompah bass and accordion want you to believe that it's a lark, but the lyrics are another story altogether. Russell's vocals are wonderful here---plaintive, emotive, and spot-on. The CD's coda is "Stars," an absolute gem that Russell co-wrote with Anny Celsi. The melody and tasteful arrangement allow The Voice to demonstrate all its tremble-inducing beauty---vocals that bring a smile to your face while also resonating with our innate sadness---much like the awesome, gelid beauty of a star in a midnight-blue sky. Russell and Kaplan are stars, and if there's any justice anywhere, the rest of a discerning music public will find that out."
Moon Has Left the Sky
Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 10/24/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Claudia Russell's Song Food knocked my socks off, particularly the lovely ballad "Weakness." A bit after the fact, I realize that "Ready to Receive" was released several years ago. Her song "Galesburg" smokes like the ache after last call, "The train has left the station & the moon has left the sky; There ain't nothin' left inside of me, There ain't nothin' left to try." Russell has an expressive voice that trills with energy as on "He Ain't Coming Back," a bluesy talk-sing with Russell's voice moaning on the chorus. Claudia's take on Bob Dylan's "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" has a breathless anticipation with Andy Ratliff's banjo pulsing joyfully. "Bugs" is one of the most unusual songs I've heard recently, "Please don't eat my beans." "Miss Fortune" shines with a lovely plaintive melody, "I dreamed that my life was joyful & gay, but this time misfortune has come to stay." "Ready to Receive" is a good sophomore set from this very talented singer. Enjoy!"
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1