Concrete is the follow-up to 2005's Favorite. Seven years is a long time between albums, but Elisa definitely makes it worth the wait. Concrete runs the gamut from slow acoustic songs, to bluesy numbers to all out girl power rock. This album takes the listener on a musical roller coaster ride that leaves you breathless and wanting more.
The album opens with the haunting "Know Better." If the Four Non-Blondes and Natalie Merchant got together, this is the song they would have come up with. Its folk rock. It has a gentle melody but it also has a gritty edge that says, "I'm more than just a pretty song."
The title track is a dark, moody, sexy tune. This song gives you a glimpse of Elisa's softer side, but not too soft. She shows her real soft side on "Color Me In" which is one light, airy, acoustic song.
As much as those songs are soft, pretty tunes, "Love To Love" is just the opposite. It would be easy to say this song is a girl power anthem, but that's for those who don't know anything about the song. "Love To Love" is a song about Victoria Woodhull, a pioneering feminist. Her life couldn't be a fluffy sounding song, she was a suffragette and the first woman to own a Wall Street Bank, the first woman to run for President of the United States and an advocate of free love. She's a weighty subject and deserving of such a rocking song.
"Keep It In My Heart" slows things down again. When you hear this song right after "Love To Love" it is difficult to believe it is the same person singing. Her rock voice and her folk voice sound totally different.
"Color Me In" has a 90s Lilith Fair vibe going on.
Just when you think the rest of the album is going to follow in that vein, she rocks out again on "Lean Into The Curve." This is a bluesy rocker. It isn't as hard as "Love To Love." It is a lighter more spirited rock song.
"Take Me Slowly" is pure passion. If you could compare it another song it would have to be Elvis Costello's "I Want You." I has that same slow, angst ridden emotion.
Elisa changes the tone with "Your's For A Song" a catchy song that has definite ear worm potential.
"Ferris Wheel" is definitely where the comparisons to Natalie Merchant come from. There's something about this song that takes you back to the days when 10,000 Maniacs ruled the airwaves.
"Trail Of Broken Hearts" is one of the most eccentric sounding songs on the album. Anyone that is a fan of The Monkees can compare the arrangement of this song to the Michael Nesmith song "Tapicoa Tundra"
The album closes with the "A Little Bit Of Salt." The tribal beat of this song takes this bluesy song up a few notches.
Concrete is a solid album that shows off Elisa's versatility both as a songwriter and a performer. Elisa's music is reminiscent of all that was great about the women in rock of the 90s, but she brings a fresh touch to that sound. She is a woman that can rock as good as the boys but isn't afraid to show her girly side as well.
File this album under "must listen music of 2013."
Rating: 5 (out of 5 stars)
Listen: Love To Love
1 comment:
What a wonderful review from the best named bloggers I've heard of in a long time. And I am absolutely humbled that you heard Costello's "I Want You" in my "Take Me Slowly." Thank you for listening and taking the time to write about my music.
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