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Kerry Politzer: You Took Me
ByOn the songs that center on finding or seeking fulfillment in love, Politzer's voice is bright and sensuous, reminiscent of pop-jazz singer Norah Jones. A case in point is Politzer's title song, the sunny and laid-back "You Took Me In, which delights in the shelter and comfort of a good relationship.
Politzer's voice is silky on the soul-jazz-styled "I Would Give the World to You. Towards the end of the tune, her emotive obbligato uses contrasting inflections to set off the melody. She also plays blues-tinged piano throughout, soloing on the concluding vamp. Musically similar, although less intense, is "Love Is in the Atmosphere, which enhances a simple melody with tight harmonies.
In "I Hope You Find Me, a slow rock tune with tasty guitar work by Tom Guarna, Politzer portrays a lonely young woman in the big city who yearns to be noticed by someone. Rousing opener "Always is a testament to happiness that's backed by an aggressively bouncy brass choir (George Colligan's trumpet, multi-tracked) that nods to 1960s jazz-influenced pop.
Politzer takes an edgier approach in the straight-ahead rock "Wallflower, expressing pique and determination through engaging lyrics that rhyme "wallflower with "no power. On the punk-ish "I Cried Wolf , she takes an interesting turn to a lower-pitched, throatier vocal style, backed by suitably raunchy bass and drums.
With Politzer's lyrics set to Kenny Lockwood's folk-ish, minor pentatonic melody, "Joseph is a quiet rock ballad about a young bellhop who yearns for a better life. Politzer's voice is open and warm as she sings the role of sisterly friend. The angelic-sounding backing vocals interweave pleasingly with Zach Brook's violin.
"Trampoline centers on Politzer's novel metaphor for a life partner who supports her every leap into a new project, and to whom she returns as surely as gravity. While the band plays at a deliberate 3/4-time pace that falls into the first beat of each measure, her voice floats on the well-crafted tune, sending the second syllable of "trampoline up an octave. With this song, Politzer creates an interesting musical image of a happily complex relationship that encompasses both comfort and risk.
Personnel
Kerry Politzer
pianoGeorge Colligan
multi-instrumentalistGarrett Baxter
bassTim Willcox
saxophoneAlbum information
Title: Ruminations | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: PJCE Records
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