Search - Liza Callahan :: Stalling From Fear

STALLlNG FROM FEAR - Ann Keller, Dublin, Ireland, CD REVIEW on CelticCafe.com The hardest part of starting out on a musical career must be the distribution of that first album, especially when 'going it alone'. I loved the music, and especially the lyrics, from the first time I heard them. The CD consists of eleven tracks, all original songs composed by Liza Callahan except for one very successful cover, the classic Carpenters' song "Superstar". Liza's own writing draws on a wide range of musical styles, often using Irish traditional instruments such as uilleann pipes in unexpected settings. Much of the music is not obviously Celtic, yet there is an underlying 'Irishness' about it in many tracks, and whether she is aware of it or not the influence of her heritage is there. The lyrics of her songs speak more each time they are heard, there is so much of life there. I doubt there are many people who will not relate to the many facets of experience reflected in them. The songs take the listener from one end of the musical spectrum to another. Two of the tracks, the opening one "Predator" and the later "Fallen Angel" were a real surprise to me as they are strong, modern rock numbers, vividly evoking the characters referred to through the lyrics, and with vibrant musical settings that make both numbers 'ask' to be live performance numbers, with modern dancers and special effects. The second track, "You're Somebody Special", is in total contrast to the first, and for me more vividly presents Liza herself. With sweet lilting melody and encouraging lyrics it is a tonic to listen to this song, a song full of sunshine to brighten anyone's darkest day. From it glows the fresh, youthful purity of Liza's voice, which is in strong contrast to the maturity of experience reflected in all her lyrics. "Calling Me" is my favourite track. Maybe it's because I love the sea and have lived close to it all my life, and it is close to my heart as it is for so many Irish people. To write of the sea is so very Irish! I love the slightly "lullaby" style of the melody; I also love the use of the saxophone in the musical arrangement, evoking the sea so perfectly and at the same time sounding very sensual. Does the lyric refer to the ocean itself or to a lover? The dual meaning adds great depth to the song. "The Lucky Lady" is a track that so many will relate to, telling of someone who apparently 'has everything' yet is smothered by her life and desperate, determined to escape and be herself. There is the sense of someone at the doorway of new beginnings, who has been 'stalling from fear' but is now stepping forward in life, ready for the challenge. The final few tracks on the album are very much 'family affairs', with an increasing Celtic feel. "We Are One" has Liza's children joining in the chorus to give a rich energy to the party atmosphere and strong message, two more - "Bridie's Bread" and "I'll Remember You", speak of cherished relatives, and the last track on the CD, "Beautiful Ireland" portrays a nostalgic picture of the land of Liza's heritage which is now lost because of the changes of time and passing of loved ones. As these tracks progress there is more and more a feel of Celtic folk tradition in the music, and the images evoked in the lyrics transport the listener right into the country kitchen where Bridie's cooking awaits, and give wonderful insight into the grandmother who was so important in her life and who she remembers so fondly. The Ireland Liza portrays in her songs is a very real one, and the final ballad could stand very well alongside our best-known classics. All the tracks on "Stalling from Fear" have a great deal to say in their lyrics; there is meaning and philosophy is every one, and I think that is Liza's special talent. Her voice is sweet and pleasing, her music melodic, catchy and full of that 'feel good' factor that makes me want to hear it again and again, but most of all it is the lyrics that spea