MUSIC REVIEW 008 - Alice Cohen & The Channel 14 Weather Team - Artificial Fairytales

If I kept a list, this might have been my #1 album of last year. I completely destroyed a CD copy some one gave me of it in my car through overuse. Just about every song on this record struck a chord with me through its introverted lyrics, their exceptionally genuine vocal delivery, and the overall complexity of Alice Cohen's Artificial Fairytales. This album sounds like Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey! I would go as far as saying this album evokes certain elements of Stevie Wonder's songwriting. Their is a subtle familiarity but obvious abstractness to her melodies and chord changes; as catchy and clever as they are dense from a compositional standpoint!

The album was constructed with help from Adrian Knight and Dave Lackner (of Galtta Media) and they bring along Knight's signature technical accomplishments on various instruments and Lackner's distinct brand of melodic saxophone solos and flute work with them. The keyboard work and synthesizer programming on this album is really what brings the whole thing home.

"Thank You" was definitely my favorite song on the album.
"I don't need a knight in shining army/I need more than an imaginary friend/I don't need an artificial fairy tale/I don't need an artificial fairy tale" she sings, conclusively to the hum of flutes.

"Broken Bubbles" is an enchanting, floating interlude between "Thank You" and "Hourglass" (a wonderfully catchy tune in the mind of a progressive Natalie Merchant meets the Cocteau Twins). "Hidden Staircase" is a fascinating Italo-disco styled dance tune with elements of Genesis (see:: Duke...) and heavy syrup synths.

"Faces in the Rain" is as if Tangerine Dream performed a pop ballad in the style of "Love on a Real Train". "Ravers at Dawn" is an electro-exotica instrumental and a worthy interlude to the finale, "Bubblegum Heart," another tender sophistipop ballad.

I really enjoy this album and think its a really fun listen!!



Out now on vinyl and compact disc from NNA Tapes!!