The whole Lilith Fair phenomenon has made me a little suspicious of female singer-songwriters. Too many of their records make me feel more like I'm
eavesdropping on a therapy session than listening to music.
Esther Valentine doesn't fall into the "whiny girl with a guitar" class. She favors lush, expansive pop arrangements full of strings and piano, the better to team with her powerful voice (given added dimension through multiple overdubs). Let's call her a "slightly ethereal female pop vocalist" -- working some of the same turf as early Sarah McLachlan, but with a more mature voice (in both the vocal and lyrical sense) and a sunnier agenda. On conventional pop numbers like "I Can't Keep Jennifer Waiting" and "Lost Emotion", Valentine isn't afraid to throw herself into the music; she honestly seems to be singing these songs for her own personal pleasure, and it's a good deal more engaging than the cathartic-confessional mood you'll find elsewhere.
The disc's most intriguing songs are its bookends. The title track hints at folk-classical structure, with a sprightly flute melody front and center. Fans of Loreena McKennitt will most likely be drawn to Valentine on the strength of "Can't Watch Yourself Dance," and the traditional multi-part ayre "If My Complaints Your Passions Move" will close the deal. Beautiful without being showy, it showcases Valentine's unaffected voice to great effect.
To be fair, Valentine's lyrics could probably use some refinement. Given her passionate performance, it's not surprising that she often wears her heart on her sleeve. Simplistic rhymes and cringe-worthy* phrases ("This once stilettoed soul/turned out in the cold" -- "Lost Emotion) slip past unnoticed only because of the strength and passion with which they're performed. A less committed artist would have a harder time "selling" such lines.
The lesson to be learned here? Commit to your material and it'll work. Esther Valentine has created an album that seems comfortably familiar at first listen, but offers enough surprises to keep it in your CD player for a while. Her songs have apparently done very well at MP3.com, and a broader audience is sure to follow.
* Shortly after this review was published, Esther Valentine contacted me regarding my comments on her lyrics, particularly the "once-stilettoed soul" line. The context in which the quoted line was delivered appears to have allowed misinterpretation, and Ms. Valentine's intended meaning was nowhere near as trite as I'd believed it to be. No matter how qualified we are, there's no guarantee that we will always interpret meaning accurately -- or convey it clearly.
