Album Review: "Dare to Dream"- Yanni

With his swarthy good looks and hair a male pattern baldness sufferer like myself would kill for, Yanni was almost as pretty as the music on his album. Unfortunately, more than half the songs here confirm the reputation that New Age/Ambient music has acquired over the years- a lot of this stuff is really good, and a lot of this stuff is slop:

1. Once Upon a Time
The song's sudden start will catch you off guard, and the tune has a touchy feely warm fuzzy ambience to it. It sounds like the end credits to a "The Mighty Ducks" film.

2. A Love for Life
An edgier feel makes this a better listen. Yanni should have opened the album with this.

3. Nice to Meet You
An acoustic violin gives this a jaunty, jazzy, Celtic bounce. Really great.

4. So Long My Friend
Simple and sad piano is punctuated by completely unnecessary background instruments.

5. You Only Live Once
Driving percussion dress up this otherwise average cut, but this is also way too long at over seven minutes.

6. To the One Who Knows
Simple and sad piano is helped this time by background instruments, a nice, plain piece.

7. Face in the Photograph
The piano sails here, in a lush tune that screams for comparable lyrics.

8. Felitsa
I do not know who or what Felitsa is, but this feels contrived and emotionless.

9. Desire
I certainly hope this is not what desire sounds like to Yanni- bored drums and harsh wind instruments.

10. Aria
Taken from a French opera, this is the only cut with vocals on the album. There is more than just a backbeat here, and Yanni re-imagining other operatic works could prove interesting.

11. A Night to Remember
The less than stellar CD starts to wind down with a night I would prefer to forget- too long and repetitive.

12. In the Mirror
The album ends where it begins- on a sour note.

Never mind that the titles sound like greeting card categories at a Hallmark store or the program at a really dull French film festival, the entire effort smacks of mediocrity. I usually like this kind of stuff but the negative outweighs the positive. I must slightly not recommend "Dare to Dream."

Album Review: "A Man Called (E)"- E (Mark Everett)

This decades old album is one of those unknown, underrated collections of songs that everyone can relate to, and will leave you wondering why E (real name: Mark Everett) never had bigger success with it. The songs, except for two co-writes, were written by E and deal with distant love in a screwed up world back in the early 1990's when our biggest problem was the Gulf War. The songs here are not depressing, however. They are upbeat, uptempo, and so true anyone out there will feel E is penning your emotions and getting it right on target. One by one, the songs are:

1. Hello Cruel World
This catchy intro song just talks about the weird world we are in, without getting melancholy. We should just learn to accept our surroundings and get on with it.
"What the hell, Hello Cruel World"

2. Fitting In With the Misfits
My favorite song on the album, as E sings about marching to the beat of your own drummer, made easier if you have friends who can march with you.
"Living in lost and found... Lost souls don't know where they're bound"

3. Are You and Me Gonna Happen
Great piano hook and fresh drums make a seemingly unhappy song about a one sided love affair almost giddy.

4. Looking Out the Window With a Blue Hat On
Another love from a distance song as E crosses into surreal territory, wanting to die and be born again so he can love his ideal even more. Not as uptempo as the earlier songs, but good.

5. Nowheresville
A song we can all relate to, as E (and maybe his cowriter here) want to just take off and travel to exotic lands, falling in love with the perfect girl/companion on these imaginary travels that many of us will never make.
"Insane on the Seine"

6. Symphony for Toy Piano in G Minor
A thirty second break in the songs has a toy piano leading an orchestra to crescendo, very funny.

7. Mockingbird Franklin
Great use of strings make this song about the singer's soulmate even more moving. Mockingbird is just going through life not caring what everyone else thinks.
"I'm a lot like you"

8. I've Been Kicked Around
This song is very similar to the George Harrison/Traveling Wilburys sound of the 1980's. The singer has been kicked around by life, losing his heart and soul, but he is alright.

9. Pray
Another peppy song about love from afar has a spiritual side to it as E looks for his perfect mate.

10. E's Tune
Another almost spiritual song, as E breaks from his perfect vocal/music mix to show the listener his confusion about the world around him.
"Life's just an ugly mess... and it feels like someone's smiling down on me"

11. You'll Be the Scarecrow
The weakest song here, while still good, borrows too many elements from the first ten songs on this album.

My biggest disappointment with "A Man Called (E)" is that the songs are too short and there are not enough of them. Excluding the thirty second toy piano symphony, three of the songs are under three minutes, and none of the songs go over four minutes. E's blend of friendly pop standard instruments and intelligent lyrics will make you wonder what radio programmers were listening to in the day. E (and his later band Eels) is an artist to seek out and enjoy, and is one of the many reasons I do not listen to mainstream radio.

Album Review: "Marvelous Sauce"- Marvelous Sauce

This self-titled CD from a Canadian group was on many college charts around the country in the early 1990's, although you have probably heard music similar to this before. Do you remember that "jazzy" streak that hit popular music in the middle to late eighties? Groups like Double, Spandau Ballet, Level 42, and Breathe made it big.

Marvelous Sauce brings back that era with the first song on the album- "Sister Knows What To Do." To get an idea of what this song sounds like, think of Breathe at their weakest. Next is "Animals on Bicycles," which starts out fine, but sinks with poor lyrics. The song seems like an inside joke: "Animals on bicycles...they're likable/Thoroughly respectable in overalls." "The Amended Will" tells an odd story of a man dying of a heart attack. The song sounds like something from The Replacements, complete with bouncy guitar melody. "Medium" is also helped by better music than lyrics. Heck, think of Breathe at their best in a song praising the virtues of anonymity and mediocrity. "Strength and Sobriety" is probably the best cut on the album. It sounds like an early Billy Joel song, with some great piano and vocals. "Talk About You" has everything but soul and feeling- unmemorable, to say the least. "Move on Living" also falls into that category. "On My Floor" is better, thanks to a distinguished vocal arrangement, although the lyrics are a mystery. "Underwater"'s melody is everywhere, you will need a map to keep up. "Temporarily Aside" is another strong cut with strong lyrics and a wonderful organ riff.

The group's singer and lyricist, Stephen Barrick, has a nice range, although some of his lyrics seem silly. The rest of the band is very good, with Joe Rozier's piano, organ, and keyboards doing a fantastic job. Unfortunately, Rozier is under a "Special Appearance by..." credit. Strongest cuts on the album: "The Amended Will," "Strength and Sobriety," "Temporarily Aside," and "Medium."

ALBUM REVIEW INDEX

ALBUM REVIEWS: (alphabetical by primary performer's name)

E
- "A Man Called (E)"- E (Mark Everett)

M
- "Marvelous Sauce"- Marvelous Sauce

P
- "Release"- Pet Shop Boys

S
- "Laundry Service"- Shakira
- "Party"- Nick Swardson
- "Get In Touch With Yourself"- Swing Out Sister

T
- "This is Techno 6: UK"- Various Artists

Y
- "Dare to Dream"- Yanni