(18 October 2008) The German dark-folk (file under alternative/indie) band Elane release their third full length album entitled The Silver Falls (Curzweyhl (Germany), 35450942/EAN 402814 3509422, 2008) on 24 October 2008. The first pressing is a limited edition 6-panel digipak and includes one bonus song and a bonus 5.1 surround-mix. All that said, the band's newly appointed yet narrow minded label would not provide Musical Discoveries a promo. Therefore our review is based on mp3s kindly sent to us directly by the band.

Our first exposure to Elane was with their first album The Fires Of Glenvore (Kalinkaland Records (Germany) CD 94658-V22, 2004). Our feature includes an indepth and exclusive interview with Joran, and an accompanying album review. In 2005 a follow up to, or perhaps better said preview of, their second album entitled Love Can't Wait was released on Kalinkaland. Fans quickly scooped up the EP and raving reviews of the tracks, especially the rousing title track, featuring Joran's most dramatic and powerful vocal arrangement todate, drew even more attention to Elane. It seems that the band mysteriously switched labels and website URLs following the sellout of the limited run EP.

However the songs from the "Love Can't Wait" EP found their way onto the band's 19-track, 69+ minute second album entitled Lore of Nen (Distinct Music (Germany) DIS80022, 2006). About the album, also sold out, Sam Rosenthal from Projekt said, "It casts a spell over you and there's no escape! Elane's music is from another world, dark folk in a "Lord of the Rings" feeling with a stunning vocal princess Joran. This young and highly-motivated band creates their songs in an unbelievable greatest of ease which we've missed for such a long time in the ethereal music scene. And Elane sounds new, but all the same familiar, it's a music you will never forget. Their unique folk-wave with Heavenly Voices will send shivers down your spine! This is a promise!"

Elane is fronted by Joran Elane (lead vocals, high and low whistles) and rounded out by Skaldir (guitar, orchestral arrangements, vocals, percussion), Nico (keyboard, vocals, orchestral arrangements, programming, vocals), Katrin (violin, viola, vocals), Simon (volin, clarinet) and guest Neniel Tindómerel (guest soprano). Thorough readers will notice that Joran has added the second name "Elane" to her own. Read our interview to see Joran's response to the question "Who is Elane?" for more information.

From our sources, we understand that Lore of Nén was full of energy. A powerful, mighty orchestral sound marks the first notes. Then retreating into a familiar, atmospheric vocal ambience just to let the whitecaps dance again, as heard on "Journey." This is only the prelude to a new adventurous trip through the enchanted landscapes of Elane's fantastic world. The departure into another land, leaving home, not only in "The Night I Left," also in the real world Elane had to take leave. Lead singer Joran leaves the beloved Sauerland in Autumn 2005 and moves southwards. Thus, many of the songs heard on Lore of Nén are marked by yearning and the search for a new home, but also by wanderlust.

What is the meaning of Lore of Nén? It's a saga. "Nén" is the Quenya word for "Water". "The Saga of Water," you could also say. Linking both languages, English and Quenya, Tolkien‘s langague of the Elves, shows Elaine also strike new paths on a linguistic level.

Not every song is directly related to water (like "Nen ar Tasar," "Eyes of a Stranger" or "Pale Sea"). It‘s more about a life and a world in a constant state of flux. Never standing still, always going ahead. The song "On and On" is a good example therefore. So far, all of Elane's song lyrics had been written in English, but now there are also German and Quenya elements on "Lore of Nén," for example "Licht" ("Light") and "Nen ar Tasar" ("Water and Willow"). Also the soprano voice of guest musician Neniel Tindómerel lifts Elane's music onto yet another level. This diversified variety is the album‘s most important constitutional element.

It is a shame that, despite our requests, neither the band nor their label sent us the album for review. We understand that Lore of Nén, like the band's very first, is a very thematic project. And readers tell us that Neniel's harmony soprano vocal adds a soaring and enchanting gothic texture to the band's second album. Frequent visitors to Musical Discoveries confirm that there is a strong allusion to the longstanding heavenly vocals band Chandeen that can not be denied. Perhaps if we are eventually provided with a copy of the album to work with, an indepth editorial review can be offerred to our visitors.

With The Silver Falls, Elane make two remarkable statements. First, the album has returned to a more managable twelve track 48+ minute running time. A brief 3+ minute bonus track adds to the first pressing. Second, the band have again changed labels, yet again. This time to the German company, Curzweyhl. Production quality is set at the highest standard, orchestral and vocal arrangements are superb, and the album is very strong thematically. Joran's vocals are clear in the mix but perhaps less dominant than the band's two earlier albums.

Elane's sources are the deep forests of the Sauerland ("The Sour Lands"). The five musicians Joran, Skaldir, Nico, Katrin and Simon live in Western, Southern and Middle Germany. This album drops the soprano from their last album but add guest Andreas Hafner (drums and percussion). Consequently the gothic textures of the band's prior album have disappeared entirely. We can say with complete certainty the band have planted this new album in fertile progressive rock territory.

Elane's artists again blend the organic with orchestral and electronic sounds and their their trademark sound is evident from the opening to closing numbers. With Joran's fantastic female voice, acoustic and electronic guitars, violin and viola, soft sound scapes, drums and percussion, whistles as well as at times bombastic orchestral arrangements Elane creates their distinctive sound so that their music has enormous recognition. Elane are said to be glad to have a rapidly growing fan base, which is as colorful as hardly another one. It is indeed a mirror of the musical languages that Elane's songs speak.

Behind the album's name, The Silver Falls are impressingly beautiful waterfalls in the land of Glenvore, the fantastic home of Elane's music. One stream ends here, and another one, even more lively is born. But the image of a waterfall also marks the almost never ending creativity which flew into the songs. The Silver shows the brilliance of the tracks and their noble grace. Silver can be found in the lyrics of the songs "Silverleaf," "Paperboat & Silverkite" and "Elfennacht."

Elane's music uses celtic underpinnings to spin progressive rock arrangements. Like Clannad, Capercaillie and Iona, electric guitars join whistles, violins and a powerful rhythm section to create their sound. From the opening track "Open The Gates," it is the emergence of electric guitar and more powerful drums and percussion that makes tracks on The Silver Falls stand up above Elane's earlier music. The memorable verse-chorus track "Elfennacht," offerred as a sample prior to the album's release, is sweetly delivered in German by Joran. Harmony vocals in the chorus perfectly accompany the instrumental arrangement.

The Silver Falls has a good share of gentler tracks that serve to demonstrate the contrasts within the band's sound and the individual players' virtuousity. Lead vocals are self-harmonized most effectively in "Silverleaf." "Amber Falls" is a gentle violin-led ballad; Joran's solo lead evocatively delivers the lyrical message with very light self-harmony layers in the background. Rhythmic percussion works great offsetting whistle and violin underneath crystalline male and female vocals in the upbeat track "Paperboat and Silverkite." Katrin's violin and vocal work pave the way in the celtically acoustic ballad entitled "The Emerald Princess."

The album's musical theme is echoed again in "The Land Through Your Eyes." Sung as a rousing duet between Skaldir and Joran and layered with her lovely harmonies is clearly one of the album's most memorable standouts. A stunning violin and guitar solo contribute to the song's great sound. In another evolution, the band explores the blend of violin and electronica in the first of the "Crimson Lullaby" pieces "The Weight of the World." Joran's sweetest vocals work well against the instrumental backdrop. In the accompanying standout piece, "The Dreamer," a more rousing instrumental, again combining violin and electronica, is woven between Skaldir's vocals and Joran's.

Layers of haunting vocals and light keyboard washes set up "My Promised Land," Joran's powerful lead vocal delivered above the band's backing vocals in this rhythmic electric guitar- and drum-based piece. "Enchanment" is a delightful duet sung between Joran and Katrin atop percussive arrangements and progressive style keyboards in the run up to the album's crescendo. The final song before the bonus track is entitled "One Last Time." The album's musical theme is subdued but clearly present. A heartfelt ballad, Joran delivers the evocative lyrical message sensually. Backing harmonies, Skaldir's duet and the haunting violin part contribute a great texture to the album's "proper" conclusion.

Wonderfully sung by Skaldir with only backing vocals by Joran and Katrin, the bonus track "Three Roses" is somehwat uncharacteristic as compared to the rest of the album. No less enjoyable, the accessible folky acoustic guitar and whistle-backed duet has a memorable melody and is appropriately placed as a bonus to leave the listener on a high note, especially compared with the seriousness of the album's concluding thematic number "One Last Time."

Besides the well-known folk elements of Elane's first two albums, The Silver Falls has stronger and more accentuated electronic sounds, fine dark wave backgrounds as well as a little touch of melodic rock, a quantum of world music and some heavenly voices parts. The album is bound together by a fine orchestral sound, which is leading through the album, just like a leitmotif. In this variety of genres and deeper atmospheres the band unifies their enchanting sounds almost constantly with drums and percussion. Elane sustain an active MySpace site where music from the band's prior and current albums is streamed for listeners to sample.

Elane continue to build their sound and progress from strength to strength. The Silver Falls, the third album in the Glenvore series, is not only well produced and well arranged but firmly plants the band's music in progressive rock territory. Joran's powerful voice is more seriously contrasted by others in the lineup, especially in the most effectively arranged album's duets. While an American release is not yet forecasted, the album will be available as a German import from Projekt. Strongly thematic, right-lengthed and immediately recongizable as Elane, the stunning new album is a major progression from the band's debut!

(18 October 2008) Melody, harmony, rhythm, timbre; these are the traditional building blocks of pop music. Though you will find them in abundance on the new album by Swedish born, New Orleans, Louisiana transplant Theresa Andersson, Hummingbird, Go! (Basin Street Records (USA) BSR 1004-2, 2008) hardly sounds like conventional pop. Playing every instrument on the album with the help of a loop pedal, Theresa took elements from her life and surroundings--her Swedish upbringing, New Orleans home, the locusts in her garden, the soda pop bottles in her kitchen--to create the uniquely beautiful tracks on Hummingbird, Go!. Streaming video of at least two of the tracks from the new album are available on YouTube for the interested browser. Read our exclusive interview with the artist as well.

Theresa Andersson's prior recordings are: Vibes (1994) [or perhaps 1996], No Regrets (2002), Shine (2004), Theresa Anderson The EP (2006) [potentially a reissue of earlier work published in 2000] and a teaser EP entitled I The River (June 2008). The artist and her management were unwilling to share the earlier recordings with Musical Discoveries in the preparation of this article therefore we are unable to make comparisons to the artist's earlier career. Readers inform her that the earlier recordings feature her outstanding violin playing and soaring vocals but display more of a band-based edge with some of the material leaning more towards blues and jazz. Our interview focuses on Theresa's newest work.

Hummingbird, Go! was produced by Swedish singer-songwriter/producer Tobias Froberg (Peter Moren's upcoming solo album) and mixed by Linus Larsson (Peter, Bjorn and John, Mercury Rev). Hummingbird, Go! was recorded in Theresa's kitchen. She played all the instruments on the album except on bonus track "Now I Know" which is a duet with legendary New Orleans producer and composer Allen Toussaint (The Meters, Dr. John, The Band, Elvis Costello) and "Innan Du Gĺr", a duet with Norwegian singer Ane Brun. Growing up near her mother's wool spinnery on Gotland, a Swedish Island in the Baltic Sea, Theresa moved to New Orleans when she was 18 and since then has played with the likes of Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, and members of The Meters.

"The kitchen sounds amazing, it has wonderful, natural reverb," Andersson explains. Even the room itself is audible. Theresa created and recorded sounds to match what she heard in her head. The vibraphone on "The Waltz" is actually soda pop bottles filled with varying amounts of liquid, while the slide guitar textures on "Hi-Low" were coaxed from her primary instrument, violin. Mouth percussion doubled for drums. A classical guitar, tuned down, stood in for conventional bass. With her toes turning knobs, as her hands strum guitar or bow a violin, and she sings with a charismatic smile that belies her intense concentration, Andersson's performances are little masterpieces of functional choreography.

Andersson's craft does not end with her music. While mixing the record in Sweden, Andersson also needle felted 1,500 individual CD jackets for the teaser EP "I the River." "I'm fascinated with textures, and love the feel and look of things. When you color wool, the final results depend on how you sort your natural colors to start. It's the same in music," she said.

Theresa maintains an active MySpace site. There you can find streaming audio and also the fantastic video performance of "Na Na Na" recorded live in her kitchen. The album is available in both digital and physical formats from multiple online outlets. Is Theresa Andersson's "one woman show" just a phase or does it have the enduring quality to become a permanent sign for things to come? See her fantastic on stage live performance on this tour in case she decides to change direction again.

(01 November 2008) Sweden's Sofia Talvik continues to rapidly emerge as an international singer songwriter with the release of her new album Jonestown (Makaki Music (Sweden) MMSCD003, 2008). The artist was drawn this year to live performances at SXSW and Lollapalooza and plans further tours in the United States in 2009. With two full length albums and a remix collection preceding her current release, she is drawing significant attention and critical acclaim. Read the results of our interview with Sofia that accompany this review.

Sofia's first full length album, Blue Moon (Starboy Recordings (Sweden) PGMLCD50, 2005), acoustically arranged and a folk song style, serves as a good introduction to her work with her band The Tallboys. Her crystalline voice rings through in every track. The artist's second album, Street Of Dreams (Makaki Music (Sweden) MMSCD01, 2007) is the first recording on Sofia's own label. A gentle shift in style from folk to singer songwriter is evident on the album's twelve superbly arranged songs. Sofia regularly releases bonus tracks in the holiday season. A robustly arranged pop song, "Blĺa linjen hem" is the stunning 2007 single.

Sofia made the vocal tracks available to remixers shortly following the album's release. The result, Street Of Dreamix, was created and made available for download from the artist's website as part of the promotional campaign. As an Art Director, Sofia places significant attention to artwork and booklets accompanying her albums. Street Of Dreams and the new release are stunning examples of her craft.

Jonestown represents yet another artistic shift in Sofia Talvik's work. The twelve track collection offers listeners richer arrangements, multi-layered harmonies and deeper insight into the artist's creativity. Her crystalline vocals soar above arrangements as the album develops into its full splendor. The material spans folk, singer songwriter and pop styles. The prerelease single from the album is the catchy and upbeat pop song "My James Dean." It follows the heartfelt delivery of the mournful opener and first single from the album, "As Summers Pass."

The album's folk songs are delivered atop light acoustic arrangements. We were especially impressed with the light instrumental backing and washes that have been used to fill out the sound. "At The End" is a stunning song that perfectly blends folk with singer songwriter elements. The purity of the superbly arranged "Something Good" balances rich instrumentals with Sofia's up front vocal delivery.

The lush guitar laced soundscape provides a contrasting backdrop to Sofia's tenderly delivered lead in the heartfelt album standout "Diamonds." The significant growth in instrumental arrangements on the album is evident in the stunning song "Burning Fields." The treatment of Sofia's vocal work on this album is superb. The electric guitar parts in "Arms and Armour" is especially illustrative of the album's growth above Sofia's earlier releases.

The crisp percussion and depth of arrangements in the bluesy "Clown" as well as harmony layers complement Sofia's soaring vocal lead. In sharp contrast, sung almost a capella with only the lightest backing, Sofia softly delivers a heartfelt lyric in the song "Lower Case Letters." The bookend track, "Summer Ended Yesterday," is more richly arranged but only slightly so.

Performed alongside strings, "Prove Me Wrong" is a gently and everso sweetly delivered singer songwriter track, Sofia's lead pushing ahead of her own harmony vocals. The album concludes with the title track. Sofia's crystalline vocals glide above acoustic guitar in this tenderly sung track. Listeners will adore the build of tension in the track as it develops.

Sofia Talvik has garnered increasing attention from all corners of the globe--from Europe to the USA to Asia--with the progressive development across her singles, full length albums and remix collections. She has active official website and equally well maintained MySpace. Jonestown demonstrates a significant artist development and an excellent launch point for the next phase of Sofia's career.

(01 November 2008) Indie singer/songwriter Jakki Jelene's debut album Reflections (jakkijelene.com (USA) 8 83629 15214 1, 2006) is an enchanting collection of ethereal pieces. Eleven of the twelve tracks were written by this creative artist with songs about love and ranging to social issues affecting our culture. This avid storyteller enriches us with her thought provoking lyrics and enchanting vocals. Fans of Delerium and Sleepthief may like her sound.

Born in Michigan, Jakki developed her interest in music while in grade school, participating in school plays and musical productions. As a teenager, she joined the school and church choirs, helping to cultivate her musical interests. She said, "From as far back as I can remember, music has been an essential part of my life. I have always been open to listening to many different genres and knew at an early age that I wanted to be a singer. Still, I would have to say that songwriting has turned out to be the most rewarding aspect of working on music."

As a budding artist, Jakki is self-taught on guitar, and spent long hours playing and writing music and experimenting with electronic based soundscapes. She kept working at her craft and eventually collaborated with various independent artists, creating songs such as "Invisible," "Crash and Burn," and "Heaven Bound." These inspiring, beautiful works provided the backdrop needed to result in her creation of Reflections.

"Comatose" opens this exciting collection of songs, with its dreamy and captivating melody. She has beautiful clarity of tone in this ambient piece. Layered vocals appear throughout many of the tracks, producing great harmonies and depth. A mesmerizing percussive beat pervades "Instrument." Combined with her soaring vocals, Jakki showcases her lovely instrument. The soothing sounding " What Are You Waiting For?" has gentle tones although the content of the song is about a relationship on the outs and not wanting your companion to leave.

Electronic soundscapes appeal to the senses in "It Never Stops." The underlying driving beat sets the mood for "it never stops as we fall in disarray." The entrancing "Time (It’s Not Too Late)" has beautiful layered voices, giving this piece a haunting flavor. Jakki most definitely has a flair for the ethereal and is successful with the outcome. There is almost a detached feeling in the song "Cold Inside."

"Life Line" is a moody, downtempo track, and "Treasure" picks up the pace with its dreamy pop sound. Her beautiful, angelic sounding vocals in the latter song are relaxing and an easy listen. The electronica sound returns more abundantly in "Lullaby" and "My Sanctuary." Lapping waves introduce "To The Sea." This soothing, melodic piece includes lush vocals that seem to ebb and flow throughout this track. "Silent Night" is the bonus track, and Jakki gives this traditional song a lovely acoustic edge.

Reflections is a collection of new age electronica songs that have a moody edge to many of the tracks. Jakki incorporates her beautiful vocals with much layering infused with gorgeous harmonies and imaginative melodies. Her music maintains an interpretive expression of her work and she appreciates songs with meaning and substance. She has angelic vocals and an innovative style.--Audrey Elliot in New York

(01 November 2008) Born in Los Angeles, musician and composer Starr Parodi has released a gorgeous album of piano improvisations called Common Places (Parodi Fair (USA) 8 37202 23832 8, 2006). These ten tracks are all improvisations on themes recorded on a 1928 Steinway B piano. The sound resonates with neo-classical, americana, gospel and cinematic themes all played as "stream of conciousness" improvisations.

Starr is best known for her work as a keyboardist for the house band known as "The Posse" on The Arsenio Hall Show. She recently scored the 2006 critically acclaimed film Conversations With Other Women (Helena Bonham Carter/Aaron Eckhart), High Roller:The Stu Ungar Story (Michael Imperioli), and the hit Lifetime Show The Division. Her music has also been included in film trailers for many of Hollywood's biggest films including The Last Samurai, X-Men 3, The Last Holiday, War of the Worlds, Mission Impossible, Failure to Launch, Everyone's Hero, Akeelah & The Bee, A Good Year, and Flight 93 to name just a few. She is also well known in the television and film industries for her music scoring abilities as one half of the Parodi/Fair partnership.

"After recording the basic improvisations, Jeff Fair & I started experimenting with creating a new sonic palate using only the piano but effecting it with various filters and other devices. Sometimes the effect was ambient, sometimes percussive & many times subliminal. I loved adding these textures to the improvisations because they broadened the musical voice of the piano and added additional emotion and interest to the performances," according to Starr.

This refreshing and passionate array of songs lifts the spirit with unfettered creativity. Starr expertly places a new spin on certain melodies, and also pioneers new sounds in her original handiwork. She developed this album after a spontaneous recording of the title track. "I had just finished recording another project and happened to have the mic's up and ready to go on the steinway. I was doing some chordal improvisations while watching the poetic movement of the sycamore trees in the canyon outside my studio window. As the Santa Ana winds kicked up I felt a well of inspirational emotion inside and just started to play. Over the next few months the other nine songs on my CD followed in this spirit and fashion."

The most memorable track is the improvisation and exploration of the James Bond theme, which is a completely new version to what has been heard before. She arranged/produced and performed one of the most popular James Bond themes, heard in the trailers for Goldeneye, The World is Not Enough, Tomorrow Never Dies and Die Another Day and featured on the Capitol CD, "The Best Of Bond ... James Bond", which reaped a gold record for her.

Another standout track is "Albinoni's Adagio" with its exquisite and flowing instrumentals. Albinoni could never have imagined that his baroque Adagio in G Minor could take on such a new sounding and creative take on the original. Starr evokes lushness and sensitivity in this stunning piece. There is a feeling of euphoria in her rendition of "Let It Be." She places new energy in the classics. "I recorded this music purely out of joy, purely out of sorrow, purely out of a longing and a searching, a peacefulness and restlessness. These are the common places we all share."

There is absolutely nothing common about Common Places. There is no doubt that Starr Parodi's interpretive and improvisational skills deserve the highest accolades. Her music is a sumptuous array of originality that heightens the senses. There is a fresh, innovative feel to these songs that everyone will relish.--Audrey Elliot in New York

(26 October 2008) Singer/songwriter Laura DeLallo blends rock, folk, R&B and pop songs in her album What Do I Know? (Laura DeLallo (USA) 6 16892 88732, 2007). She incorporates bouncing rhythms with her strong, dynamic vocals. She has been influenced by diverse musician styles such as Ani Difranco, Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin, Dave Matthews, and Toots and the Maytals to name just a few. Besides her own EP and two full-length albums, Laura is featured playing drums and guitar on several other recordings. Her first full-length CD, The Whole Truth, has seen successful internet sales through iTunes and other digital distribution outlets.

Laura performs lead vocals and plays guitar. She hails from Stamford, Connecticut and has an active tour schedule with her band. The rest of her band includes John Eurell on guitar; Suzen Carson on backing vocals and percussion; Steve Werner on bass; and Chris Calabrese on drums. Joe Sirico joins the group on bass in several songs. Laura hooked up with the album’s drummer, Chris Calabrese, and guitarist, John Eurell in 2001. They recorded an album as Hieroglyph and achieved some local success. Bassist Steve Werner and backing vocalist/percussionist Suzen Carson of The Susans joined shortly before production of the new CD, but the fivesome developed in undeniable chemistry immediately.

Since the age of nine, Laura has been playing numerous instruments including trumpet, violin, clarinet, drums and guitar. She focussed her studies on the guitar which culminated in her expertise with intricate rhythms as shown in many of her songs. Her musical passion shines through her lyrics, vocals and energetic musical style. She has been exciting crowds from the Northeast to the Midwest with her passionate voice and steady string play for over ten years.

Her opening track "Wait For Love" is a vibrant song that is the perfect platform for her powerful voice. The song is quite upbeat and pop filled. She has a very earthy feel to her engaging sound. It's clear why "More Than Just A Friend" was chosen to appear on the Music Independence Summit Connection compilation CD, Let Me Be Heard. Her folksy flair and strumming guitar has a catchy tune and is down-to-earth. She speaks to the heart through her lyrics that resonate to all.

"When I Fall Again" follows in the same vein as the previous track with her strong, clear vocals, talking about life and love. She transitions to a country/folksy sounding pop song, "Good Friends, Bad Wine," that is vibrant and finds hopefulness in relationships. The underlying percussive beat combined with Laura's straight-shooting vocals makes this melody memorable. Simple acoustic guitar opens the gentler "Two Girls." The next track, "Meant To Meet In Heaven" is another bluesy folk tune that talks about waiting for love, and how life keeps carrying on.

In "Noticing Me" she discusses more lovelorn situations. Her lyrics "I swore I noticed you noticing me last night" is a circumstance all of us have experienced. She picks up the pace in "Fall To Pieces" with a rocking beat and her genuine, clear-cut vocals. More introspective lyrics permeate "Feel The Light." She expresses herself with a beautiful, sultry voice that relates questioning and yearning.

"Bring Me Down" has a mesmerizing beat that oozes energy. Laura's singing has a soulful sound in the pop song. Her cover, "Kiss," by Prince is a vibrant effort that puts her stamp on this piece. She closes with "Faithfully." This song continues to engage the listener with its strong and powerful rhythmic sound.

What Do I Know? is an enjoyable collection that features Laura DeLallo's powerful vocals combined with buoyant pop, bluesy and folk melodies. She succeeds in touching on life experiences through her upbeat melodies as well as through the mellow moments. On the whole, this CD is full of verve and earthiness, although more diversity would help avoid a samey sound.--Audrey Elliot in New York

(16 November 2008) A redhead fairy, just out of a Broceliande tale, completely in touch with eternal vibrations, powerful culture, and a charismatic personnality. Cécile Corbel has released her third full length album Songbook Vol. 2 (Bran Music | Keltia Musique (France) RSCD 287, 2008). The twelve track collection builds on the artist's very successful second release, an earlier twelve track album entitled Songbook Vol. 1 (Bran Music | Keltia Musique (France) RSCD 279, 2006). Corbel belongs to a new generation of European folk artists that is happy to take crusty old folk standards and reinvent them for the 21st-century audience. Congratulations go to the artist and the label for the superb packaging and booklets that accompany the individual CDs.

Cécile Corbel wrote the music and lyrics for this album and performs harp and vocals. The album's lineup also includes Simon Caby (strings, arrangements, drums, percussion, harpsichord, piano), Benjamin Boiteau (electric guitars, bass, backing vocals), Cyrille Bonneau (bombards, bagpipes, dudik, soprano sax, low whistle), Eric Zorgniotti (cello), Gilles Donage (violin and alto), John Lang (bodhran, bouzouki, low whistle), Jimmie O'Neill (vocals), Cyril Murin (folk guitar, 12-string). The lineup produces wonderfully produced modern renditions of using traditional and electronic instruments.

Cécile Corbel was born in Brittany, the Celtic region in the north-west of France. As a child, she traveled all over Brittany with her parents, who were puppeteers. She played the guitar but in ner teens her teens that she discovered the Celtic harp. At 18, she went to Paris to study archeology, still dreaming of music. Following concert after concert in Parisian pubs and cafés, she self-produced her album Songbook Vol. 1 and was soon noticed by the Keltia Musique (Sinead O’Connor, Loreena McKennitt) label.

Corbel's unique harp technique and her appealing young voice, sometimes compared to Kate Bush's, reveal a world encompassing ancient poems, original compositions, Celtic tunes and Mediterranean melodies. It is said that Cécile Corbel takes you for a trip out of a time. Following the path of prestigious musicians such as Alan Stivell, the young Breton composer and singer now performs her Celtic and world music with her musicians in France and all over the world.

Says Corbel, "Once upon a time were a gypsy with golden lips, a knight-errant, a woman in love with a dolphin, a ocean of milk, deers in garments of fog, another knight, wounded and mourned by a maiden in an orchard, a talking horse, a female pirate, a damned girl on the moor. Once upon a time was innocence." She continues, "This album is the fruit of many years spent on the roads with my harp. On stage or in a studio, Breton legends, Irish fairies, Scottish fogs, they all were my fellow travelers and a boundless source of inspiration." She concludes, "I hope you will like this album as much as I enjoyed writing and recording these songs." Cécile Corbel imposes an enchanting universe with a clever mix of traditional Irish songs and Breton tunes.

Corbel has appeared as supporting artist for many great world music musicians including Lunasa, Helen Flaherty, Ousmane Toure, Alan Stivell or the baroque harpist Ariana Savall. Corbel has also performed at various Festivals and concert halls, including La Maroquinerie, Solidays 2005, and International Harp Festival at Dinan (France). She has been warmly greeted abroad, including in Australia and Tasmania, including an Australian tour in 2006 at the French festival of Adelaide with Yann Tiersen and Matmatah and in Estonia, The Czech Republic, England, United States (Louisiana, Texas). She was the Prix Paris jeunes talents musique (Talented young musician award of Paris) in 2005.

Corbel performed all over France and in Belgium, Estonia, England, Netherlands and Germany in twelve individual concerts in June and July 2007 including the main Celtic rendezvous of the summer, including in her native Brittany. Listeners will appreciate the richness of the instrumentation, blending classic folk instruments with modern electronic additions.

Her life and image mirrors her singing, limpid, fragile, but confident. She draws her inspiration from the Breton tradition, from Breton laments and magic tales. The new tunes of Songbook Vol. 2 build wonderfully on the artists prior work. Vocals and instrumentals blend perfectly across the album's tracks never boring, inspiring repeat listening and interplay between her two albums. That texts are often in French or Breton never detract from the lovliness of the artist's two albums. Still at the early stage of her career, Cécile Corbel has a very bright future ahead.

(08 November 2008) Must admit that when the publicist come on begins by stating that an artist is the daughter of famous television presenter Simon Cowell that our interests were immediately piqued. Not only because we were surprised that the X-Factor and American Idol producer and critic had a daughter in the biz but that we were being offerred an opportunity to hear Lou Cowell's debut album ahead of release and an exclusive interview opportunity in London.

A little further investigation revealed to us that indeed there are two Simon Cowells, Lou's father being the MBE that presents Wildlife SOS that airs both in the UK and in the USA on Animal Planet. The very fit (see photos on her website or MySpace) 30-year old singer songwiter was born Emma Louisa Cowell. Lou Cowell's debut album I Umm ... (Akashic Records (UK) 08-001, 2008) follows on the heels of her successful single "A Good Day" (Akashic Records UK) 08-001S1, 2008). The album is comprised of ten accessible tunes, sung from the heart, with modest accompaniment. Our promotional copy says little about the supporting artists. At present Lou Cowell is the only artist signed to the Akashic label, founded by her father.

Likened to early day Tori Amos, Kate Bush and Joni Mitchell, Lou Cowell's debut album has already received huge praise from internet radio stations and is now expected to catapult her into the mainstraim with it's instantly catchy melodies, contemporary pop vibes and emotional lyrics of both self-confidence and insecurity in today's society that listeners everywhere will relate to. The stipped back and heartfelt "Still Around" opens the album.

About "Just Like Me," the perfect introductory single for this singer songwriter who is becoming known for speaking the thoughts every female thinks but is too afraid to admit, Lou says, "All you need to do to find out who I am is ask yourself who you are." A bit tough for a male reviewer to relate to but female readers may get it. Lou actually wrote the song nine years ago.

Lou Cowell worked with some of the music industry's most world renowned producers, including Massive Attack's Neil Davidge and Joni Mitchell's Phill Brown. Lou corageously decided to make her album in the company of the one who truly knows her best: her piano. Raised amid the chaos of a wildlife sanctuary, Lou has grown up with something of an unconventional nature; si singer songwriter, a published author and boxer, this petite blonde songstress is an enigma of lyrica bliss.

"A Good Day" originally released by French "Pop Idol" sensation Emmanuel Moire, fits well on this album and the singer's comfort singing with a traditional British accesnt. As a result of the song's success, Lou was recently signed to Chrysalis Publishing. Smoky Carrot PR's Chris Foster handles Lou's publicity. The sensitive ballads "Hold Down The Sun," "Obvious," "I Believe" and "Lonely Little Hurricane" like the album's opener are very evocatively delivered.

Lou's album effectively blends pop accessibility with sensitive singer songwriter tunes. The lightly arranged "Just Like Me" is delightful. The sensual singing of the well arranged "Nobody's Rhyme" immediately draws the listener into Lou's spell. "Could We Just Kiss?" is gently arranged with a smoky and bluesy vocal line that perfectly delivers the song's lyrical message. We especially enjoyed the power and depth of the instrumental build as the song moves towards its crescendo.

The album concludes with Lou's final heartfelt ballad entitled "Winter." Actually at 9:30 into the track, a final bonus piano backed four-minute bonus track plays. Perhaps the most sensitively recorded (listen for the pedals) with vocals almost whispered number of the album, the tracks provides a final and indepth peek into Lou's emotional psyche.

While we may have preferred more variety in the collection, principally with the addition of a few more robustly arranged upbeat tracks, this is a great initial outing. This record primarily of heartfelt sensitive ballads, Lou Cowell is clearly emerging onto the scene and will draw significant international attention with the release of her debut album.

(08 November 2008) With all due respect to the band's most well known and prolific vocalist, Annie Haslam, who set the standard for all that were to follow, Jane Relf was actually the first woman of the British progressive band Renaissance. The inexperienced sister of the band's founder Keith Relf was called from Cornwall to sing with the all male band in London. She grew to become an astute and well established professional although the initial Mark I version of the band fell apart.

Jane continued to sing with Illusion, a progressive band built from the ashes of the original Renaissance, who released Out Of The Mist, Illusion, additional singles and finally the long lost recordings on Enchanted Caress. She recorded singles, sang for commercials and provided backing vocals to other projects, including Stairway, by the original Renaissance band members after her brother's untimely death.

Jane Relf Appreciation Society president Brian Williams has lovingly assembled an absolutely-packed, two-CD, 33-track compilation of her recordings, including the best possible production of a number of extremely rare tracks, demos and material from vinyl first time transcribed to compact disc. Entitled Jane's Renaissance 1969-1995 (Renaissance Records (USA) RMED 384, 2008). The album also chronicles origins of "Carpet Of The Sun" with two demo versions revealed first time in this compilation.

The first disc in the collection takes the listener through the very earliest days of Renaissance beginning with "Wanderer," "Island" and "Roads To Freedom." Songs are taken from the 'Mark I' Renaissance albums Renaissance (1969) and Illusion (1971). Three medleys, arranged by Brian Williams, bring further rarities to light. The disc includes tracks by Renaissance, Illusion and Jane Relf's solo work.

For many this first disc will be the first time that Jane Relf's solo tracks have been heard. These include the well arranged and accessible numbers "Gone Fishing," "My My Time Pass By," the medley of "There'll Be No Going Back" and "Carpet of the Sun," and "Without a Song For You." The medley that closes the disc is comprices exerpts from "Golden Thread," "Madonna Blue," "Isadora," "The Revolutionary," and "Candles are Burning."

The second disc begins with many of Jane's backing vocal or vocalise contributions to Louis Cennamo's Stairway album. It then continues to explore her work with Illusion. The final track is a denoised and unedited version of the "Carpet Of The Sun" demo that Jane sang. The six Stairway songs are in an early new age style and therefore contrast the balance of the material distinctly.

Inclusion of the second batch of Illusion material alongside early Renaissance in this collection clearly demonstrates how Illusion moved on from the Mark I and the Mark II band and also continues to demonstrate Jane Relf's vocal prowess. Illusion clearly made music more in line with the Britich sounds of the day. Rock songs, torch ballads and traditional pieces all work together on the disc and have been sequenced to demonstrate the producers' dedication to Jane Relf's work. Listeners will again learn to appreciate the occasional very close similarity of Illusion to Renaissance in the song "Face of Yesterday" (1977) and "Wings Across The Sea."

The compact discs are accompanied by a photo filled booklet and very thorough Jane Relf biography. While the artist has no official website or MySpace, there is a discussion group for appreciation society members. Click on the album cover above for further information. Jane's Renaissance is indeed a fanstastic two CD collection that commemorates the fine vocal work of the stunning Jane Relf. With a wide vocal range, excellent power, crystalline tone and demonstrated ability to sing pop, rock, progressive and new age, she has had an incredible career.

(13 November 2008) There have been several live Renaissance releases in recent years which have all been warmly received by fans worldwide. Dreams and Omens - Renaissance Live At The Tower Theatre Philadelphia PA 1978 (Friday Music (USA), 2008) is very special. I have come to the conclusion that the band must have been quite difficult to mix at concerts. Due mainly to the use of acoustic guitar instead of electric and the importance of keyboards and bass guitar to the compositions, if one or more instruments were out, this could spoil the way the band sounded live. This has happened on previous live releases, mainly on radio concerts, but I am delighted to say on this new release the mix is almost perfect giving the listener the next best thing to actually being there. The one exception is that sometimes Jon Camp’s bass could have been a bit louder.

The band were on fire at this concert and John Tout in particular, comes across very strong, all his keyboard orchestrations are clearly audible and as a result the band sounds fuller and atmospheric. My only other criticisms of this CD is the fading out of the in between song banter which could be such an entertaining and humorous part of a Renaissance show and this is a shame. And why release only part of such a special concert; I’m sure we wouldn’t have minded paying more for a double CD of the complete show.

"Can You Hear Me?" kicks off the CD and is the best live version I have heard. As I previously mentioned, the keyboards are very prominent adding lots of atmosphere and Annie, as always, is singing brilliantly. The bass and drums and acoustic guitar are all clear, what more could you want? You can really sense the atmosphere as the audience responds vocally just before the final verse kicks in. "Carpet of the Sun" follows and again is a good solid rendition, with John Tout’s simulated strings very prominent. The next epic is "Day of the Dreamer," which is a tighter version than the one on the CD of the same name, with the band really cooking by now and Terry's drum fills cutting through. The usual rearranged live version of Midas Man has some wonderful vocals from Annie. A great version of "Northern Lights" follows which I think is the first time a classic line up live version has been released.

The final track on this CD is a surprise. I was lucky enough to see the band six times in the 70s and I don't recall them ever playing this song, so to discover that "Things I Don't Understand" was on the CD was fantastic. There are a couple of changes to the original arrangement here. Firstly someone--not Terry who is playing drum kit--is playing the Tympani roll on the intro. I'm fairly sure it is Jon Camp as the bass guitar drops out until later in the intro section. Also there is backing vocals on Annie's first voice solo and the male vocals after it are missing. There follows a driving bass riff with a short piano solo, before the song returns to the original arrangement.

This is a great live CD. Recorded from a live radio broadcast, it's not perfect, but it features some fantastic playing and a great choice of songs. The first ever official Renaissance DVD is due out shortly, so that is an exciting prospect to look forward to. Right at the end of 2008, it's proving to be a great year for Renaissance releases.--Dave Owen, Near Truro, England

(13 November 2008) Twenty-two year old singer/ songwriter/ guitarist Casey Desmond shows her wonderful talent on her self-titled 2005 album Casey Desmond (Sound Museum Records (USA) 6 34479 15526 0, 2007). She wrote and arranged all the tracks except for "Did We Make It" and "Undertow" that she co-wrote with Taylor Barefoot and William Ackerman respectively. This thirteen track album contains a blend of soulful rock and folk melodies, combined with her thoughtful lyrics and beautiful harmonies.

Hailing from Massachusetts, Casey was brought up in a musical family and she made her debut appearance on her parent's band recording of the legendary Bentmen at the age of three. She was heavily involved in musical theatre and grew up performing in front of audiences. Remember Tiny Tim? At age ten, she sang a duet with him on his noteworthy song "Tip-toe Through the Tulips." He encouraged her to pursue a career as a vocalist. By the time she turned fourteen, she taught herself guitar, keys and bass and formed a band with some schoolmates called Adore. The band had success and recorded a CD of her material. She later began performing at clubs and coffee houses in New England.

Her album showcases her gorgeous and strong vocals. She has an outstanding collaboration of musicians on this CD that help create her depth of sound. In addition to Taylor Barefoot on guitars, Chris Joye on bass and Geoff Chase on drums, she is joined by some notable musicians such as Grammy Award-winning guitarist Will Ackerman whom she co-wrote one of her tracks, bassist Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson) and Mike Levesque (David Bowie, Natalie Imbruglia) on drums.

"Did We Make It" is a great opener to this album with its determined rock/pop sound. Casey sings with clarity, backed by great rockin' percussive instrumentation. She shows great maturity of sound for her mere seventeen years when she originally recorded this album. She softens the mood in the guitar laiden "Taste It." She has thought-provoking lyrics and a great catchy beat in this track. A more defiant attitude appears in "Two Girls." She sings of dichotomy in her life of making her feel like a whole other girl.

"Shivering" has reflective lyrics and a yearning in this great melody. The song has a memorable, catchy beat. Casey's tender vocals in "The Child" display her wonderful storytelling ability. She exhibits a beautiful mellowness in this well-crafted piece. She continues with her touching vocals and carefully chosen lyrics in "Swim." She demonstrates her tonal versatility throughout this track.

Lush and deep rocking guitars are infused in "Sorry Ain't Enough." She sings with a hard driving attitude and edge. Gentle guitar opens "Scenario" and Casey continues to make an impression with her soaring vocals and resolve. "I Was Right" and "Stray" continue to highlight her great writing ability and her sensitive delivery of her touching lyrics.

"Lay Here" takes a look inside her feelings and the turmoil of her thoughts. Wonderful guitar mesmerizes in "Meaningless." Combined with her lovely and poignant vocals, this song is emotive and stirring. She concludes with the moody and passionate "Undertow."

There is an excitement to this collection of songs on Casey Desmond. This young woman sings with great fervor and passion, while setting the mood with great craftsmanship through her touching lyrics and wonderful instrumentation. Casey sets the scene vividly and artfully. She followed this album with a 2007 release, No Disguise and collaborated with other Boston musicians to record the song, "End War Now" to spread the word about the Iraq war. Casey Desmond has great talent and has a bright future ahead.--Audrey Elliot in New York

(15 November 2008) Originally from Boston, indie artist Beth Wimmer now resides in Santa Monica. Her debut album Live Within Live Without (Beth Wimmer (USA) 6 89076 08232 7, 2003 is a wonderful collection of twelve tracks that showcases her edgy and progressive sound. She sings her folk/rock songs with richness and passion. All the songs were written by Beth, and she performs these creations with heartfelt emotion. Her music and style vibrates within the unique family of Americana - embracing alt-country, indie-rock, and folk music.

She was fascinated by rock and roll music at an early age, and as she listened to various artists, she became inspired. Some strong musical influences include notable artists such as Neil Young, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, Pretenders, Police, Tracy Chapman, Aimee Mann, and Elliott Smith.

There is an earthiness to Beth's musical style. Beth says some of her inspirations in her music and life are "My travels and people, other countries’ stories, Amnesty International, the practice of complete and unsafe love, blissful states of mind…utter distress--all kinds of music and musicians and artists."

Her songs are infused with lush vocals and guitar laiden accompaniment. Her luxuriant voice mesmerizes the listener, wanting more and more. She tugs at the heart strings with her songs of humanness, hope, painful honesty, love lost and love found, and personal and spiritual redemption, all with a sense of humor. This tapestry of human emotions is beautifully woven and quite captivating. She is supported by a superb group of musicians including: David Raven on drums; Taras Prodaniuk on bass; Billy Watts on electric guitar; and Danny McGough on keyboards and hammond B3.

She opens this emotive album with "Situations." Beth's alluring vocals are down-to-earth and filled with wonderful fervor. The marvelous violin by Mark Indictor complements the flowing melody, in addition to the hammond B3, lending a sumptuous feel to this track. "Move On" has a rockier edge in this song about self-realization. Beth shows her expertise in telling her story with a sensivity and humanness. The title track, "Live Within Live Without," has a great psychedelic feel with its folk/rock roots.

"With Our Eyes Closed" has a catchy percussive melody that has great hooks. There is a warmth that envelops her vocals shown throughout this entire set of songs. She can handle many genres, and has a special affinity to her gorgeous country-infused folk as in "Hey Babe." There is an honest simplicity that she delivers with confidence. She continues in a similar vein in "Lose My Way," permeating this track with slide guitar and her beautiful vocals.

"Saturated" heightens the senses. Beth's soulful tones and folk/rock sound are explosive here. She continues to show great sensitivity in "Calling All Hearts" and "Hard." The latter song has marvelous mandolin, mandola and violin accompaniment that pervades this piece. Combined with her clarity of tone, this song is a true winner. You can definitely "feel your sensations run high from within."

Her soulful rendition of "The Wheel" carries a straight-to-the-point feel. Country sounding "Holdin' Out" speaks of hopes and dreams of a love relationship. Beth exposes a vulnerability and intimacy of feelings that tugs at the heart. She concludes with the flowing "Every Time." This song of human setbacks and hope is spirited and beautifully presented.

Beth Wimmer certainly deserves top kudos for this lush and savvy album. Live Within Live Without has a free spirited feel, exploring love lost and love found. She has definitely found a connection with her gorgeous vocals and sweeping melodies. She exudes a richness as a vocalist, songwriter and guitarist that leaves the listener wanting more and more. She has a new release entitled Miracle Girl that has also been well received. Her music comes from the heart and heightens the senses.--Audrey Elliot in New York