Gravity Pulls

by

Echobelly

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I hadn't checked in on Echobelly since late 1998's dandy Lustra album and frankly figured they just passed the way of other late, great bands of the same era (hello Sleeper? Louise, where are ya?). So, it was with a bit of trepidation that I leapt into Gravity Pulls. It took about 10 seconds of the first track to bring a smile to my face and realize Sonya's voice is better than ever - rich, warm, lovely and aching in all the right places. I forgot how much I missed it.

The writing is richer more mature (but don't take that to mean boring) than previous efforts. I don't hear a big poppy radio single on this, so it will likely not get much exposure, especially in the United States. That's a shame. This is a strong, assured album - check out the sampler tracks here on Amazon and decide for yourself. I for one am happy Sonya is singing again. She is one of the best vocalists out there. Hopefully, it won't take another 7 years to get the next album. If you were an Echobelly fan, check this out, I don't think you will be disapponited. If you weren't, this just might make you one.

Echobelly's fifth album goes farther in the mellow direction of 2001's "People Are Expensive". What rock there is here is very laid-back, and tha album as a whole is dreamlike. If not for Sonya Aurora Madan's voice, this wouldn't be recognizable as the same band that made "On", and the album is likely to chase a lot of Echobelly's early fans away. The songwriting here is easily the weakest of any of Echobelly's albums; even "People Are Expensive" had at least four songs I like better than anything here. Still, the sound on this album is SO good, with excellent production by Ian Grimble, Madan's lovely voice, and Glenn Johansson's tasteful guitar playing, that I'm tempted to give the album a fourth star, and I may come back at a later date and do so. The overall listening experience here is still very worthwhile if you're in the right frame of mind for it. My favorite tracks are "To Get Me Thru the Good Times" and "What You Deserve". Songs like "You Started a Fire in the Heart of a Wasted Life" and "One in a Million" sound like they could have fit in on earlier Echobelly albums, but their rock intensity has been muted to fit in here. If you're looking for a album to kick back and relax with late at night, this could be the perfect album for you.

(1=poor 2=mediocre 3=pretty good 4=very good 5=phenomenal)