It is a good thing this is a CD and not an old record album....the grooves would be worn out by now from me constantly playing it!  It has a neat twist every time I listen to each song.  You gotta smile when listening to this CD....
                            Read more...
                        

                            
Wow!

This isn't a CD, it's an album! You know, like back in the day when life wasn't all about "cuts" and "hooks" and pop appeal? This album is something that your ears should savor, like the sound of the wind or the ocean's roar -- and it's as powerful as both.

I didn't know until I read later that this album was completely produced by Amilia herself, an amazing achievement, I must say. It makes sense after listening to Like an Engine a few times. It's just to raw and emotional to have ever been touched by some smarmy record company producer's hands. Not that it's technically lacking either, check out the amazing syncopated choruses on Queen for Hire. It's like nothing I've ever heard anywhere.

Why this album isn't triple platinum and as common in record collections as say, Dark Side of the Moon or Born in the USA, I'll never understand.

Oh well, at the very least YOU can buy it.  ;-)
                            Read more...
                        

                            
This debut CD by Amilia k Spicer grabbed my attention and held me
spellbound. Maybe it was the dark lyrics, or the lush imagery, or her husky
and sensual voice, or something else, a certain magic that is not so easily
defined, but I loved this album. Not since Tori Amos' Little Earthquakes,
has a voice and lyrics moved me so deeply and completely. Spicer is
foremost a writer who sings to give another dimension to her words. But
there's much more than just style and content. Every aspect of this work
complements and enhances each of the elements to form a perfect symmetry.
The melodies are fresh, yet familiar. The phrasing is subtle, seamless, and
intense. The rhythm is visceral but not overpowering. Trying to sit
motionless while this music plays, is like trying to hold back the tides.
It's energy takes hold and sweeps you away with its power, yet keeps you
buoyant and craving for more. Phrases like "New York sounds like a
metronome", "...if you're in the game, you can scream out every word, but
if you're in the cheap seats, you know you'll never be heard", and "I got
what I was asking for, one more take it or leave it" are brilliant,
condensed truths. Each listen is like the first, fresh and full of new
meaning. Pulling this all together is Spicer's voice: gentle, hypnotic,
sometimes filled with pain and irony, dreamy, always focusing your
interest. Anyone who has ever been moved by such diverse performers as
Diamanda Galas, Dar Williams, Heather Nova, Jane Siberry, Mary Coughlan,
Milla Jovovich, Sara Craig, or Tori Amos, will find a kindred musical
spirit and a unique, fresh approach. Highly recommended.


                            Read more...
                        

                            
I am listening to "Like an Engine" as I type this.  This lady's voice can make me change direction; there isn't one song on the album that I dislike.  If you in any way like female vocalists, give this one a try, and you won't be disappointed.
                            Read more...