- Album Intro
- Album list
Album name:Talking To Strangers
Shemekia Copeland has already scored numerous awards and accolades, but this is the young singer's real artistic breakthrough. While Copeland's first two CDs were at times marred by ham-fisted musical support and subpar songwriting, she is now free to unfurl the subtle, soulful side of her big voice. 'Don't Whisper' sounds like a lost Memphis classic--the kind of tearjerker Ann Peebles might have cut. Copeland pours her vocals like warmed honey over the song's sad lyrics and an arrangement that balances producer Dr. John's delicate piano with edgy, tremoloed guitars. She turns soft and breathy on the lovely, jazz-inflected ballad 'Happy Valentine's Day,' evoking a worldly, relaxed beauty that belies her 23 years. There's plenty of full-tilt belting, too. 'Sholanda's,' a tongue-in-cheek trip to a beauty parlor, balances her power with graceful New Orleans-flavored drums and slide. And 'The Push I Need' is a playful duet with Dr. John that's sprightly and smart enough to sidestep clichés. Overall, there's a sense of poised musicianship at work, which makes Talking to Strangers emotionally tempered and rewarding. --Ted Drozdowski
1. Livin' On Love 2. Two's A Crowd 3. When A Woman's Had Enough 4. Sholanda's 5. Don't Whisper 6. Should Have Come Home 7. Talking To Strangers 8. Too Much Traffic 9. Too Close 10. Walk On 11. KaChing 12. The Push I Need 13. Happy Valentine's Day 14. When The Battle Is Over 15. Pie In The Sky
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