Watson, Dawn TylerTen Dollar Dress2001Preservation RecordsPRES-761

Watson, Dawn Tyler - Ten Dollar Dress - 2001 - Preservation Records - PRES-761

Written by Warren Dallin

This is Montreal resident Dawn Tyler Watson's first album, a collection of originals written over the past few years. She does one obvious cover of a slowed down yet jazzed up version of Purple Haze.

Watson is the lead singer behind a steady crew, consisting of Andy (Chuck) Dacoulis on guitar(s), Domenic Romanelli on bass and Sam Harrisson on drums. A host of guest musicians fill in on keyboards, horns, guitars and vocals. Overall, this is a professionally done disc with imaginative arrangements to the various songs.

The album inherently acknowledges that it is a gumbo of blues, jazz, rock, funk, soul and R&B. While it is labelled a "Blues Project", some songs are cross-over ditties that could make it on their own in the jazz or even the rock worlds. If you like your brand of blues interspersed with other musical stylings, you will really enjoy this album.

From a blues perspective, there are certain tracks that deserve closer scrutiny. Cigarette starts the album out with a modern-blues feel and an acoustic slide-guitar tempo. The song comes across mellowed down easy, in a Keb Mo/Taj Mahal style.

The song You Can't Be True will freeze your spine. Really! This song is sensory overload. Each instrument tells it own portion of the entire tale. The bass notes are held for an extended rhythm factor. The drumming is crisp but, there are plenty of bass pedal kicks to get your heart pumping to the beat. The organ conjures up a soulful mood from beyond. Horn fills are done at the right moment for maximum effect. The guitar solo is slightly held back behind the remaining substance of the song. However, it is Watson who really takes advantage of the listener by throwing her powerful voice at some superb lyrics. The line "Your kisses tell me that I had best be on my way", says it all.

Shoot The Devil is a haunting, brooding song that showcases Watson's rawest vocals. Take it Outside is a fast-paced piano boogie straight from the 1950s with some jazz-blues guitar chords and the requisite sax solo.

There is an interlude track with sirens wailing, rain pouring, someone stomping up a flight of stairs and a door slamming (there was a four-alarm fire in the building next door while they were in the studio to record this album) that leads into the most stirring song on the disc, Abused. The lyrics are disturbing and effective, conveying the trauma of fatherly abuse. The wailing guitars, the chord progressions of the keyboards and a vibrating bass build up the overall emotion in your throat. Remember to swallow.

Nobody Home reminds me of a lost guest track from the Lenny Kravitz, Let Love Rule era. It is a forceful, plugged-in acoustic guitar led song that begs you to try and sing along with her.

Overall, the strength of the disc lies the songs themselves as well as Watson's well-developed voice. She can hit a broad range of notes with strength and staying power. This disc potentially has broad commercial appeal while staying true to her unique jazz-blues-rock stylings.

Copyright 2003. Review by Warren Dallin.

< Prev		Next >

[ Back ]

WHAT'S NEW

Sponsored Links

SPONSORED LINKS

POLLS

SYNDICATE