Not what I'd expected, but good just the same...
David Curry | Milford, MA | 10/14/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I originally saw a brief review for Robkin's latest album in a music trade magazine. Having never heard of her before, I wouldn't have paid much attention, except that Tony Levin and Jerry Marotta were credited as the hired guns to anchor her rhythm section. I have tremendous respect for the distinctive style that both these men brought to the music of Peter Gabriel and King Crimson. Combined with the praise being lavished on Robkin for her singing and songwriting prowess, I bought the album with only the vaguest clue as to what it would sound like.
I had two primary reactions on listened to the first track: 1) Why hadn't the reviewer noted that Robkin's voice could easily be mistaken for that of Paula Cole? and 2) Where the heck was the typically powerful sound of Levin's bass and complex polyrhythms of Marotta's drumming? Based on the review and my expectations of my bass/drum heroes, I had expected something more rocking and more... I dunno... just MORE.
But as I listened to the rest of the CD, I gradually accepted it for what it was, instead of what I hoped it would be. It's not a rock album, but rather a smoothly produced, rather restrained collection of adult contemporary songs (for lack of a better term). Robkin's voice IS amazing, having all the power and inflection of Paula Cole, but not the Girrrl attitude. The writing has a strong pop sensibility which doesn't hold any great musical surprises, but makes all the songs readily accessible. The lyrics aren't as clever as those of Joni Mitchell or Tori Amos, but still have enough depth to warrant careful listening.
As for Tony and Jerry, well, there's a good reason why these guys are so well known as studio musicians. If the producer says "don't upstage the featured artist", they know exactly how to settle back into the pocket and round out the music without being noticed as individuals. While I appreciate them more when they ARE displaying their signature sound, I have to admire how they served the needs of this album by staying well within the supportive role they were hired for.
The album continues to grow on me. Already, I'm hooked on the achingly beautiful title track and I know with repeated listenings, the rest of the songs will win me over too."