Album Review: When the Cardinals Come by Atoosa Grey

Album Name: When the Cardinals Come
Artist: Atoosa Grey
Year/Label: 2009 / Independent

[Download at Amazon]

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

This is another one that has been in my rotation for months. Literally. And I like it, very much actually. But when I went to “finalize” the review, I saw that I’d only written a couple of things:

“Very sweet, pretty voice” (I’d written that twice) and “She reminds me of someone else, can’t place it.”

I don’t know if I was (am) just going through a writing dry spell or what, but I don’t know why I didn’t write more about this one over the last several months.

For the most part, this album is sweet, pop, but many of the songs, have a little bit of an Americana twang.

Atoosa Grey was born in Iran, but grew up in New Jersey and now lives in New York. The album title refers to the birds that reappear to signal hope. It’s a lovely thought, and a beautiful album. It’s rich with texture and haunting, while still comforting, melodies.

She does a cover of Rod Stewart’s Maggie May. This version seems much more sensitive and sweet. Same lyrics, same reference point, but the music is slower and prettier (less rock) and it somehow changes the feeling. The narrator is less of a victim, and more of a sort of ‘oh well, guess it’s what it is!’ with a smile.

Stand outs for me: No More Desire, Red Fire (I like the notes that go where you don’t expect), and Radio (gorgeous piano) but the whole album is really very good.

Track Listing
1. All These Flowers
2. Great Big World
3. Red Fire
4. When the Cardinals Come
5. No More Desire
6. Maggie May
7. Yours
8. Drive
9. Radio
10. Stars

[Atoosa Grey Official Site]