Review: Amy Annette's Starting Over
Although Amy Annette has performed cover tunes most of her life, most recently with her now-disbanded group, Knyght Blynde, she also demonstrates a talent for songwriting. Starting Over is a debut showcase of Annette's writing and entertaining talents. Eight well-crafted, well-performed original songs along with fitting performances of three diverse covers, take you on a passionate, emotional journey through the lows, mids, and highs of living and loving.
An Ohio native and graduate of the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, Annette began performing with her family's band at age 12. Whether or not this is how all that music got in her blood makes little difference--it's there. She's a dynamic performer, and her sultry, smokey vocals are captivating. Because of her expert use of digital music sequencing technology, Annette's live performances duplicate her recordings.
You quickly discover that Annette writes what she means and means what she sings: Every word speaks from the heart, every note rings from the soul. With influences ranging from Janis Joplin, Melissa Etheridge and Elton John, Annette's mix of hard-hitting rock and intensely personal love songs shows a passion for music that is contagious and engaging--you end up wanting more.
There is no title track. The album jumps off the starting line like a nitro-powered dragster with "Spider Lady," an attack on that evil personality type who lures us into trusting them, only to destroy us. This is a common theme in rock music, but Annette's tag line, "You're a thread in the web in the corner of the Devil's soul," is a fresh image.
In an artful switch, Annette takes us from searing to soaring with the crown jewel of the album, "Our Song," an uplifting love-will-conquer-all number that is familiar, yet fresh. But you can' stop there; Annette shines in her torchy interpretation of the Quincy Jones/Rod Temperton/Lionel Richie blues number "Miss Celia's Blues (Sister)."
And so you don't get too serious, "Pull Those Suckers Up," is a light-hearted novelty tune reminiscent of Dr. Hook. It'll have you laughing until the "crack of dawn" with a whole new meaning for the word "crack".
The slow ballad "You're My Everything" has a nice '70s feel while "Welcome To The New World" has the emotional impact of a post-nuclear-holocaust shock film. Here is social commentary in the form of musical blunt-force trauma. Annette follows with more commentary in "Sticks And Stones," a pretty, pleading ballad that says the old rhyme isn't--and never was--true: "...the names can burn your soul right through..."
Covers of Linda Perry's "What's Up" and Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz"--complete with a well-done imitation of Joplin's gravelly growl--round out the album.
The more you listen to this album, the more you come to realize that Amy Annette has lived her music. Here is an artist who knows how to touch a soul with her art, and if you get through the 11 tracks on this album without at least one good outbreak of gooseflesh, it's time you had a reality check.
An Ohio native and graduate of the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, Annette began performing with her family's band at age 12. Whether or not this is how all that music got in her blood makes little difference--it's there. She's a dynamic performer, and her sultry, smokey vocals are captivating. Because of her expert use of digital music sequencing technology, Annette's live performances duplicate her recordings.
You quickly discover that Annette writes what she means and means what she sings: Every word speaks from the heart, every note rings from the soul. With influences ranging from Janis Joplin, Melissa Etheridge and Elton John, Annette's mix of hard-hitting rock and intensely personal love songs shows a passion for music that is contagious and engaging--you end up wanting more.
There is no title track. The album jumps off the starting line like a nitro-powered dragster with "Spider Lady," an attack on that evil personality type who lures us into trusting them, only to destroy us. This is a common theme in rock music, but Annette's tag line, "You're a thread in the web in the corner of the Devil's soul," is a fresh image.
In an artful switch, Annette takes us from searing to soaring with the crown jewel of the album, "Our Song," an uplifting love-will-conquer-all number that is familiar, yet fresh. But you can' stop there; Annette shines in her torchy interpretation of the Quincy Jones/Rod Temperton/Lionel Richie blues number "Miss Celia's Blues (Sister)."
And so you don't get too serious, "Pull Those Suckers Up," is a light-hearted novelty tune reminiscent of Dr. Hook. It'll have you laughing until the "crack of dawn" with a whole new meaning for the word "crack".
The slow ballad "You're My Everything" has a nice '70s feel while "Welcome To The New World" has the emotional impact of a post-nuclear-holocaust shock film. Here is social commentary in the form of musical blunt-force trauma. Annette follows with more commentary in "Sticks And Stones," a pretty, pleading ballad that says the old rhyme isn't--and never was--true: "...the names can burn your soul right through..."
Covers of Linda Perry's "What's Up" and Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz"--complete with a well-done imitation of Joplin's gravelly growl--round out the album.
The more you listen to this album, the more you come to realize that Amy Annette has lived her music. Here is an artist who knows how to touch a soul with her art, and if you get through the 11 tracks on this album without at least one good outbreak of gooseflesh, it's time you had a reality check.
posted by Kenny Hart | 11:07 AM
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