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LAURA CHANDLER Learning to Be Human Red Cow Records
Bright ideas, clever lyrics, melodic songs... The compelling San Francisco singer/songwriter has assembled a collection of 11 tracks on her latest release that convincingly relate to the human condition. That condition is, according to the dictionary, having imperfections and weaknesses of a human being rather than a machine or divine being. While Ms. Chandler's voice is as divine as ever, she writes of notions and slices of life that are indeed experienced in the physical realm. Love... Loss... Life... All grown up now, Laura's viewpoint is less intense on LEARNING TO BE HUMAN. She sheds light on her rites of passages and spends compassion freely on both herself and her fellow human beings. On "Happiness," she sings, "I fall down, I just get up and I stumble around in this happiness." Learning to be human, again according to the dictionary, means to show kindness, compassion and approachability. Plenty of those qualities here... "Fickle Thing" traipses through the joy/pain of love, "Makes you feel so good, makes you feel like dying." Another favorite, "Ride" is about the perfect simplicity of just driving away from it all with an undercurrent theme of dealing with logistics postponement at another time. Other points of interest: the sultry new version of her original, "Low Light," the bittersweet, "Wilmington," and the Steely Dan-esque "Pin-Up Girls." Laura's got a knack for depth and on LEARNING TO BE HUMAN she relies securely on this skill in a way that isn't trying too hard (which can be a very human thing to do). This evolved asset allows for her new music to flow sweetly and unreservedly off the CD.
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LAUREN WOOD Love, Death & Customer Service Bad Art Records
You know Ms. Wood… yes you do. You know her HUGE hit “Fallen,” the stunning love song from the PRETTY WOMAN motion picture soundtrack. That’s the one that sold over 17 million copies! You also know her from her Top 3 hit duet with Michael McDonald, “Please Don’t Leave.” Lauren is a busy woman and has written Top 20 hits for her music industry compadres such as Gladys Knight and Phillip Bailey, as well as songs for a diverse group of stars including Cher, Dusty Springfield, Johnny Mathis, Sammy Hagar and Billy Preston. In addition, the active artist is heard on the theme of the hit TV series JUST SHOOT ME, as well as many national commercials and animated films. She’s the consummate artist, this Lauren Wood. She’s brilliant. And her new release, LOVE, DEATH & CUSTOMER SERVICE showcases all of this brilliance in one package… fantastic writing skills, a dazzling, distinctive voice, thoughtfully executed production and an overwhelming sense of fashion. Smooth Jazz has always embraced smooth vocals; Lauren Wood offers up a wonderful tune for Smooth Jazz radio, “Contradictions.” It’s sophisticated, contemporary and jazzy… A song that speaks to the heart and the soul, not unlike “Fallen.” Other tracks that speak to me include the saucy “You Gotta Love Those Guys,” the emotionally splaying “I Don’t Believe In Love” the absolutely irresistible “Come And Live With Me,” and the finely crafted pop tune, “Til You Let Your Heart Win.” LOVE, DEATH & CUSTOMER SERVICE is one for the people from a songwriter’s songwriter!