Mary Black - Shine

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Free Music Notes for Shine

Free Music Review: Pop/Rock with Unusually Good Vocals
Hit: 5 Stars

What people love about this singer is that she has some real volume to her voice, but at the same time, she manages to have the expressiveness normally associated with softer voices. You can feel every line she sings despite the impressive "umph".

I love the song MISUNDERSTOOD. I love it because even though it's a pop number - which means you can easily sing along, and believe me, it's catchy enough that you'll be tempted - she never sings a line as though she can't hear the words. Do you know what I'm talking about? Some singers hit the notes beautifully, but you feel like they could be saying ANYTHING because their voices focus on the melodies, not the words. Mary Black never seems to do that. She's singing a pop song, which means she can't linger too long on any one note, she has to keep moving to keep the catchy melody going. But every line comes out with awareness of the lyrics. This song is great. The line "I thought he was saying 'good luck', but he was saying 'goodbye'." would be boring in a lot of people's throats. But with her direct expressiveness, you can feel the hurt of his rejection. And what a catchy beat!

I also like the fact that isntrumentation on this album NEVER overpowers her lyrics and song. That's a trend that bothers me in pop music. I hate it when I can't hear the lyrics because the singer's too caught up in showing off the voice or when I can't hear the lyrics because they've been synethisized and distorted to death or the electronic instrumentation drowns them out. None of that happens here. Coming from a folk tradition, Black probably appreciates the importance of words to a song. Nothing overpowers or dries out her clear vocals.

Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention: I can't remember the title, but the song on this album that sings, "She don't like the late night radio" is one of my favorite pop songs. Again - between the beat and her clean, rocking delivery, it's just a great song.

Mary Black fans should be warned that she's trying something different here from usual. But I can't see objecting to it when she does it this well! I love this album.

Shine Poster

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Black remains a special singer; her husky mezzo manages to be intimate and powerful at the same time. She's not a songwriter, however, so she's utterly dependent on her material. Unfortunately, Shine is dominated by the sort of melodramatic melodies and sentimental lyrics that might have been intended for Celine Dion. Black isn't guilty of Dion's over-the-top bombast, but Black can't inject much subtlety into simple-minded songs that urge us to "Shine" and enlighten us that "Nobody Lives Without Love." It's only when Black returns to the work of such proven songwriters as Richard Thompson ("I Misunderstood") and Paul Brady ("I Will Be There") that she reminds us what a dramatic interpreter she can be. --Geoffrey Himes

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