Susan Krebs: Daybreak

Sometimes, simpler is better. Familiar chord progressions are like old friends. We think they have aged well, and however different the melody (or their appearance), they are relatable. We connect to and with them. After a spell of "dare to be different" time signatures that can be fun, or challenging, hearing someone who can play or sing well in plain vanilla four can be a relief. After all, most people walk around in two or four. Can 7.9 billion people be wrong?

Certain conventions arise for reasons of efficiency, aesthetics, or suitability. Not everything has to be weird. Or not the Great American Songbook.

Susan Krebs and Mixed Remotions are the furthest thing from weird or unconventional. Which is not to say they are dull or boring or, Heaven forbid, solid. It is precisely because of this element of familiarity, really from a nicely swinging "Can't Get Out of This Mood" that has ladies and love whispering in the ear, that Krebs entices a listener. Krebs' insistent voice, breathy, but not imitative, sells the song and gets the listener in the mood for what follows. The rhythm section does nothing fancy, other than lay down an engaging swing, and support Rob Lockart's Traneish stylings." Daybreak" paints a nice picture, with Lockart sinuously appearing again and then fading out. "How Little We Know" breaks the rhythmic pattern with an almost conversational waltz. Who is doubling the flute? It adds a nice color to the mix. "Who Knows Where The Time Goes?" does simple justice to Sandy Denny's now-classic melody. It seems oddly appropriate to the pandemic-blurred temporal boundaries that so many have noticed, if not necessarily enjoyed. Krebs gets it right, especially in its plaintive tone. A feathery soprano sax decorates. When was the last time we heard the verse to "Stardust?" Krebs does it her way, and, for once, nobody will remember Artie Shaw or Billy Butterfield. Again, the soprano sax work is not only melodic, but, somehow, pushes a lot of other great solos of the past out of one's memory.

Some excellent recordings have come out of the pandemic because the need for human connection is always strong. Daybreak may have been largely remotely recorded, but the mood is intimate and pensive. In a society starved for tranquil beauty, Susan Krebs supplies a much-needed and highly eclectic remedy.