Sadly I am not rich with cash, but am richer for what this music gives to me. I enjoy her works enough to have placed this 2nd order and gave them as gifts to friends here in the U.S.
By the way, the feedback I got from those friends are comments about how wonderful the cd is and the wish to know when she will be releasing more songs!
Many Thanks to all of Mary :) -phil
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We all can differentiate between music crafted and played well with music that is not. My hearing of some of the tracks from Mary's myspace.com site compelled me to throw down my cash in a rare display of support for her and the group efforts. I hear influences being echoed in various tracks, but specifically I hear music that describes in evocative ways that makes me wish to hear more from this talented artist and support group. When you can Mary, consider a USA tour - soon! Thanks for blessing us with your music. -phil
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When this album first arrived, as I so often do, I played it in the car as I drove to the office. On this particular occasion, after only one hearing my mind was pretty well made up. The music was pleasant and gentle on the ear but lacked sufficient depth to appeal to the average prog listener. Or so I thought. Fortunately, DPRP policy and good sense dictates that all new releases are allowed to mature before a review is submitted. Following several more spins my opinion soon changed. Hidden strengths began to surface, displaying a refreshing individuality that was hard to ignore.
Mary is not, as the title would suggest, the name of the attractive female artist pictured on the album cover. She is songwriter, vocalist and guitarist Marie Ingerslev, and Mary is in fact the name of her band. Although to be fair this does feel more like the work of a solo artist than it does a band project. Joining Marie are Kenneth Hansen on keyboards, Thommy Andersson on bass and double bass, Kalle Mathiesen on drums and keyboards, and Torben Snekkestad on saxophones and bass clarinet. None of these names may ring any bells, but Mathiesen is drummer and inspiration behind Kalle's World Tour whose album Start received a DPRP recommendation just five months ago. Marie herself was the lead vocalist on that release, prompting the reviewer to infuse that she was “the female vocal find of the year”. I’m not about to dispute that sentiment; she really does have a remarkable voice. Apparently, Marie has been performing her own songs for many years prior to this debut release. This comes as no surprise, the strength and maturity of the material does suggest the work of a skilled songwriter.
The songs create a variety of moods ranging from sunny and breezy to calm and meditative to tender and romantic. In terms of dynamics, Marie and her band take each song at a leisurely pace, occasionally breaking into a mid tempo trot. Marie’s voice, wisely in my view, dominates the sound with instrumentation providing a melodic backdrop. The songs benefit from crystalline production courtesy of Mathiesen and Ingerslev. This teaming probably explains why, with the exception of the vocals, it is only the drum sound that draws attention to itself. This is evident in the opening, and probably strongest track, Will You Be There. At six minutes plus it may reach prog proportions in terms of length, but the acoustic instrumentation, subtle key changes, and reflective vocal suggest a slow burning folk tinged ballad. The English lyrics are delivered without a hint of accent rendering every word sharp and clear. Gentle acoustic guitar and shimmering keys are driven by the busy percussion, which develops into an impressive display of snare drum rolls and fills.
Flaws And Wrinkles retains that same lightness of touch, whilst incorporating more than a hint of jazz swing reminiscent of Fairground Attraction and Swing Out Sister. The dreamy He Went Into A Painting is another song that is given lots of time and space to develop, culminating with hypnotic organ and moody saxophone. Try In My Heartland forgoes the usual instrumentation and relies solely on clarinet and saxophone to create a sultry late night listening mood. In A Prayer From God, the verse vocals may prompt Bjork comparisons, but in truth the similarities are fleeting. This mid tempo song shows an ability for imaginative off the wall lines like “If I were human I would do all of these things but I’m not, I’m only God”. The double tracked vocals in the chorus evoke the harmonies of The Corrs.
Reality Is Only Imagination combines a sharp snare drum sound, bright acoustic guitar, and a rare but lyrical synth solo with the pop sensibility of Everything But The Girl. In more enlightened times the title track In The Head Of A Dreamer would have hit potential written all over it. This is a snappy mid tempo song dominated by an incessant chorus this time with a looser vocal style. Vocoder style keys, piano, persistent bass, and stark percussion provide the songs impetus. All The Way Around returns to the albums more familiar territory with a relaxed Annie Haslam style vocal against a backdrop of sublime string and keyboard atmospherics. The concluding Cradlesong sees the singer at her purest with a delightful lullaby style vocal and the simplest of backing including gentle guitar, rippling piano and a splash of cymbals.
To describe this album as easy listening would I feel be doing it an injustice. It certainly has the power to calm and soothe though, which works wonders when you’re stuck in a traffic jam! Its undeniable qualities almost compelled me to give it a higher rating than the one I eventually settled for. I was however conscious that the absence of major shifts in tempo and dynamic soloing, especially lead guitar, might prove to be a hurdle for diehard prog rock fans. On the other hand, the fusion of diverse styles, intelligent lyrics, and strong musicianship are all aspects it shares with prog. Keep an open mind and give this album a try, you will be pleasantly surprised. To misquote that infamous line from Star Trek, “It’s prog Jim, but not as we know it”.
Conclusion: 7+ out of 10
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