MARA LEVI: Life's a Ball

Mara Levi

Life's a Ball

© 2003 Mara Levi (620673196420)

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Catchy, intelligent rock and roll with tons of vocal harmonies and a flair for the dramatic. Music for the Out and Proud

tracks

1 In My Head
2 Take the Blame
3 Hey Mister
4 So Sorry
5 I'm Nothing
6 Without Alarm
7 No Difference
8 Better Days
9 B-flat Ditty
10 La Di Dee Da
11 Kids in the Cosmos
12 Sweet Misery
13 I've Arrived

notes

Mara Levi began her rock and roll career at the ripe old age of 19. She joined the indie-rockers, Kid Sampson as a song-writer, bass player and singer. Mara studied music composition at Amherst College as Kid Sampson began to take off. After a short tour of duty in New York City, Kid Sampson took a break, leaving our fair hero to fend for herself.

Mara took her cue. She picked up a guitar and started moving. She currently resides in Washington, DC where her music has evolved into a catchy blend of her Folk Music roots, her Jazz Compositional training, and her Indie-Pop upbringing. Wielding her acoustic guitar, Mara's sound resembles a mix of Liz Phair, Fiona Apple, Alanis Morissette, and Aimee Mann - an explosive combination!

Mara's songs deal with issues ranging from her life as a lesbian, love, politics, all the way to stalker songs. While written from the perspective of someone immersed in gay culture, Mara's songs appeal to people of all genders and orientations.

Baltimore Out Loud recently reviewed Life's a Ball and had this to say: "...the perfect pop music inside spoke to me instantly. First of all, Levi's voice is a powerful tool, her musicianship is above par, and her songwriting gifts are considerable. A combination such as that has resulted in some of the most original and admirable songs I've heard in a long time."

Mara has now been touring the country for almost a year in support of Life's a Ball, and will surely be coming to a town near you very soon! Unless you live in Alaska. It's very far away, you know. Visit http://www.maralevi.com/shows.html to see when Mara will be in your town!

reviews

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  • author: Christina

    This CD is one of the top 3 that I can say I have ever heard...It for sure has won a place in My cd player for good!..I can not wait to share with this CD with some friends.

  • Great music from an individual voice
    author: Katie B

    There's a brilliant range of music on this CD - it'll leave you feeling upbeat. Mara Levi has a brilliant feeling for rhythm and riff; I dare you not to satrt dancing....

  • I LOVE THIS CD!!!!!!!
    author: Jennifer Wisner

    I love this CD!! It hasnt left my CD player since i got it. Sweet Misery is my new favorite song!

  • This CD is my FAVORITE!!! You're the BEST!
    author: Jasmine Scott

    This is the greatest CD ever! I love it, it's my FAVORITE! Thr lyrics are awesome and meaningful. Jazzy Scott

  • This CD is my FAVORITE!!! You're the BEST!
    author: Jasmine Scott

    This is the greatest CD ever! I love it, it's my FAVORITE! Thr lyrics are awesome and meaningful. Jazzy Scott

  • Listen to it over and over and over again....
    author: Gwyneth Connell

    I had this CD on repeat for three days in a row last spring while I was writing end-of-term comments for my high school history students. It's catchy enough that I wanted to keep listening, but complex enough that it didn't get stuck in my head and force me to destroy the album after this marathon session. Indeed, it's still a first pick for road trips, "Better Days Ahead" is a staple on my mix tapes, and every time I listen to it, I change my mind about my favorite song/line/riff. This chick is for real.

  • This CD is in my car stereo.
    author: Taylor Ives

    It is always in my car stereo. It's that good. Now go buy it. Now.

  • In this, her solo debut, Levi weaves together her multiple musical talents to cr
    author: Mario Rojas

    Mara Levi's clear, powerful, and bittersweet voice, her intelligent, personal lyrics which always strike a univeral chord, and her intricate instrumental and vocal arrangements have been a staple of her contributions to the now (sadly) separated Kid Sampson. But never have the fullness of her abilities come together as well as they do in this, her solo debut. Take "Hey Mister," the album's hard-hitting, hard-rocking centerpiece, a showcase of Levi's songwriting virtuosity. The track begins with a tender five-part a cappella refrain, quickly shifts to a driving, staccato pulse for the verse and then to a most rewarding of pay-offs: suddenly, the drums settle into a half-time rock groove while guitar, bass, and vocals fill the once silent spaces between the beats and Levi's soaring vocals assure us that "life's a ball." An off-beat organ bridge surprises and delights, Levi's muffled backing vocal tracks add a bad-ass layer to the already catchy lead on the chorus, and when the a cappella refrain re-enters, well, forget it. Just sit back and enjoy, because you're hooked. The lyrics in "Hey Mister" hint at disparate experiences coming together under one theme or idea--in this case, that longing and impatience one has for a person just out of reach. Musically, the song, like the following track, "So Sorry," is made up of juxtaposed, sharply contrasting sections that evoke a shift in mood, a characteristic that extends to the album as a whole. Whereas this constant shifting could lead to a fragmented listening experience, "Hey Mister," "So Sorry," and all of LIFE'S A BALL feel perfectly balanced and progress seamlessly, loudly kicking ass for just the right amount of time and sedating us with a ballad just when we need our breath taken away. The two rocking tracks mentioned above, for instance, are followed by Levi's stripped-down, soul-bearing performance on "I'm Nothing," whose earnestness and accompanying violin will give you goosebumps. The somber middle of the album gives way to the folky "Better Days," another highlight. "B-Flat Ditty" is a gorgeous little lullaby that leads to the boisterous "La Di Dee Da." There simply aren't many singer-songwriters out there who have the guts--and the songwriting prowess--to construct an entire refrain out of the phrase "la di dee da" and create what is perhaps the catchiest chorus ever to come out of the Pioneer Valley, the Northeast, the Midwest, maybe even...England and all English-speaking nations. "La Di Dee Da" and the following "Kids in the Cosmos" both capture several aspects of Levi's emerging signature sound: a mix of acoustic guitar, bass, and piano set to a steady, mid-tempo rhythm that propels long, melodic phrases across a sea of voices. You will have a hard time just deciding which part to sing along with; each can hold its own melodically and yet forms only a fraction of Levi's lush harmonies. This is the point in the album at which you will ask yourself, "How the f**&^ does she do that?!" "Sweet Misery," the haunting penultimate track and one of Levi's oldest compositions, is included here with a new piano arrangement. Whether or not it was intentional, the track serves as a poignant shout-out to the fans who have for years witnessed her impassioned live performaces of the song. You will simply not forget this melody. Ever. And that is a good thing. This trio of songs rests atop one of the many blissful peaks of the deeply moving folk-rock-unclassifiable experience that is LIFE'S A BALL. Long before Levi belts the last track's refrain, you will know that she has indeed arrived, and you will feel utterly satisfied to have welcomed her music into your life.

  • This music is HOT.
    author: Emily Stark

    This music is Hot. Clearly a well-educated and talented musician, Levi combines beautiful (and clever) lyrics with unique musical sequences. This CD will change your life--Kudos to this Levi character.

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