Collected Sounds

Album Review: In Your Face & Behind Your Back by Natasha Alexandra (NLX)

Album Name: In Your Face & Behind Your Back
Artist: Natasha Alexandra (NLX)
Year/Label: 2006 / Independent

In Your Face

Behind Your Back

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

“Behind Your Back” is one of two simultaneous releases by Natasha Alexandra, AKA NLX. The concept is that the two records, though very similar are slightly different in tone. She easily could have release all of these songs on one record, but I kind of like that they are separated here. That said I believe you should get them both as they complement each other very nicely.

“I Got Alot” is a great opening number. It’s got a great piano part and shows off Alexandra’s voice very nicely. It’s beautifully melodic. The piano reminds me of Rachael Sage’s style.

There’s something very comforting in Alexandra’s voice. It’s not your typical pretty-girl voice. There’s an edge to it that draws you in in a compelling way.

“Christian” is orchestral and sweeping.

These songs are all very well written. I wouldn’t go so far as to call them catchy, because some tend to read that as “trite” and they’re not at all. But they will stick with you.

“In Your Face”, as you might expect given the name, is the more gutsy and powerful of the two releases. It’s the one I prefer, gun to my head. Since she does choose to explode a little more on this one, something I wanted more of on “Behind Your Back”

“Code Red” is a lovely noise song. Quite powerful.

“Spin” shows her intricate piano playing and it sounds great.

I also feel I must mention her cover of Depeche Mode’s “Walking in Your Shoes”. Being an old 80s gal, this made me smile. It’s a great version. Her voice just sails.

I’ve been listening to these two records pretty non-stop for the last couple of weeks and even though the review is done, I’m going to keep on listening. These are definitely going into my personal regular rotation. I adore them both.

Posted on May 4, 2006

Comments:

Rating: 5 Stars
Comment: I’ve had both cd’s for about 3 months now and cant get enough of them! I got the chance to meet NLX and hang out two times. She is down to earth and easy to talk too! I would say if you get a chance to see her live GO!!!!!! Its even better live!!!!!!!
name: Naked Jimmy on Sunday, May 28, 2006

Rating: 5 Stars
Comment: Both of these albums are great. In Your Face is, shall we say, more produced; both well written and both I play again and again… because … well because you just want to listen to them over and over. She’s got something. Both well worth buying. Walter
name: Walter on Friday, May 19, 2006

Track Listing

In Your Face:
Listen to track samples

1. Code Red
2. Spin
3. Stay
4. Overdrawn
5. What Do You Wanna Know
6. Refuel
7. Walking In My Shoes
8. I’ll Go

Behind Your Back:
Listen to track samples
1. I Got Alot
2. So Far Apart
3. Bleed
4. Cigarettes
5. Christian
6. Statistic
7. Everything Is Great
8. Car Crash

[Natasha Alexandra (NLX) Official Site]

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Album Name: Irrlichter
Artist: Alwa Glebe
Year/Label: 2006 / Independent
[Buy at Cuptose Records ]

Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell
a Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

Alwa Glebe has had a long and distinguished career before arriving at this album. She sings with a commanding presence in her native German. The music is sparse and eerie and her voice has a tangible sadness to it.

“Wahnsinn” has an eighties flavored beat that supports her lament.

“An der Bruche Stand” is curiously like a song by Grace Jones, all-feral poise and languid beats.

“Komm mit mir” is a trance-like dream of a song. Glebe’s dark vamping is heard to its greatest effect.

“Nichts ist Mehr wie es war” is seductively paced. This is a brave and lovely album.

Posted on March 29, 2006

Track Listing
1. Irrlichter
2. Wahnsinn
3. An der brucke stand
4. Im Schmertz
5. Was ware wenn
6. Komm mit mir
7. Nichts ist mer wie es war
8. Nie mehr zuruck
9. Ich Weiss

[Alwa Glebe Official Site]

Album Name: Honey
Artist: Ariel S Lee
Year/Label: 2006 / Independent

Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

Ariel S Lee is a talented singer and pianist and this minimalistic record serves her well. The title song is replete with irony and it proves a sassy putdown to an ex. Lee’s piano playing is exceptional here.

“Traveller” is a gorgeous ballad. Lee sings of a positive love and is very moving.

“Walk All Over” is upbeat musically but warns a woman about messing with the wrong kind of man. Lee makes the combination work.

“Georgia” is about “The other woman” and doesn’t mince its words.

The record ends with an unusual move, an interview with the artist. It’s listed, as a track on the official release too so it’s not just a press thing.

Very nice move since it gives us insight into the singer’s mind. It’s a great record.

Posted on March 29, 2006

Track Listing
Listen to track samples
1. Honey
2. Traveller
3. Seven Stories
4. Walk All Over
5. Close To You
6. Georgia
7. Diamonds
8. Home
9. Lilian
10. Interview

[Ariel S Lee MySpace Site]

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Album Name: Respiri
Artist: Corde Oblique
Year/Label: 2006 / Ark Records
[Buy at Ark Records]

Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell
a Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

Riccardo Prencipe plays most of the instruments here, but others handle the vocals.

The musical style is hard to pin down, but it’s a fine listen by any standards. Prencipe fuses folk music with classical and what might be called “world music”(whatever that means nowadays.)

“My Promise” has stunning vocals by Caterina Pontrandolfo and fluid guitar lines by Prencipe.

“Eventi” follows and is achingly lovely. The lead vocal by Corrado Videtta is sensuous and deep and adds immensely to the track.

“Orme” features lead vocals by Alessandra Santovito (formerly of Gothica) and it’s a stunning song. Its calm ambience is intriguing and Prencipe’s virtuosity with the instruments is apparent.

The album ends with the glorious “Winds of Fortune”. This is a fabulous album.

Posted on March 29, 2006

Track Listing
1. Intro
2. My Promise
3. Eventi
4. Waves
5. Di parigi
6. Ascesi
7. Orme
8. Fantasia sui Tasti Bianchi
9. A guitar sounded like a lute
10. Dentro
11. Le onde
12. Progressive
13. Winds of Fortune

[Corde Oblique Official Site]

Album Name: Apple Pentacle
Artist: Louisa John-Krol
Year/Label: 2006 / Prikosnovenie
[Buy at Amazon]

Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

Louisa John-Krol’s new album is inspired by the myth of the Green Man and the music carries all the weight of the myth. Her voice and artistry come to the fore on these songs.

“The Windrow” is the spirit of English folk with psychedelic leanings.

“Which of these worlds” has a vocal arrangement that echoes Laurie Anderson’s vocal coos in “O Superman”.

The music is progressive rock, the mellotron is just one of many proggish instruments that’s used.

“Canterbury” base don Oscar Wilde’s tale of the restless ghost is a delightful soft hush. Its shades of Kate Bush are ghostly and eerie.

“The Witch in the Wood” mentions Robin Hood and is convincingly haunted.

“Apple Pentacle” is a masterful work by a great artist.

Posted on March 29, 2006

Track Listing
1. Atho
2. The Windrow
3. Which of these Worlds?
4. Spin
5. Birch Wandering
6. Escalder’s Tree Ride
7. Canterville
8. The Green Pentacle
9. Ceracini
10. Poppet Plum
11. The Witch in the Wood
12. Kunmanngur

[Louisa John-Krol Official Site]

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