The opening track, "Jane," is a towering anthem of self-assertion in the best tradition of stand-tall country singles. "Fool's Gold" is a minor-key haunter in the vein of Patty Loveless, with Vecchione wringing every possible drop of emotion out of the dusky lyrics. It's also a good example of genre-crossing, reminding me as much of soul-rockers like Nicola as of traditional country singers like Loveless.
The lovely, unusually well-written ballads lean towards the pop end of the country spectrum, with the exception of "Breaking Heart in NYC," a slow, sweet shuffle whose country-and-western swagger is lit up by an old-timey clarinet solo.
On the lighter, uptempo side, Vecchione's cover of the Beatles' "Lady Madonna" bops nicely, and her rendition of Dr. John's "Qualified" is inspired (actually, "kick-ass" is the technical term that comes to mind).
The CD is good enough that one is led to think carefully about whether Vecchione, a passionate and technically expert singer, has quite enough heft to her voice to rise to the top of country music. Her voice tugs at the heart, breaking, calling, and twanging, but is it rich enough? Is she fundamentally a country singer, or a roots-rock/pop singer like Melissa Etheridge or Sheryl Crow? At the top level of the recording industry, where standards and specifics are pretty unforgiving, these things tend to matter. Meanwhile, such questions aside, Vecchione is forging her own path to excellence.
Various Artists, Next Wave
Norine Braun solidifies her reputation as a tastemaker of distinction with her new Braun and Brains compilation, Next Wave. These twenty songs represent the cream of the crop from an enormous variety of styles. Braun's own "Crystallize" is a scintillating, flute-laced pop bauble, so infectious even her mispronunciation of "mischievous" comes off as ingratiating. Other highlights of the CD's glossy first half include Public Symphony's subtle chamber pop "Rise & Shine," Morgan's creepy "Nice Day (For a Murder)," and Katrina Parker's ballad "Killing Me," which snakes jazzy singer-songwriter passion through a dramatic piano-pop arrangement. Greg Summerlin's rather banal lyrics in "I Would Fight" are lifted by an aggressively sunny and charming arrangement of jangly guitars, and the track from David Z will please Madonna fans, as will Flow's jerky blue-eyed hip-hop R&B.
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