Gran Bel Fisher
Full Moon Cigarette

(Hollywood)

First Appeared in The Music Box, July 2006, Volume 13, #7

Written by Tracy M. Rogers

These days, angst is very popular in musical circles, and it’s almost to the point of becoming a formulaic requirement. Some artists — Grant-Lee Phillips, for example — can imbue their music with just enough existential anxiety to avoid cliché, while others — such as Daniel Powter and James Blunt — cross the line into whiny self-absorption. Singer-songwriter Gran Bel Fisher falls somewhere between these two extremes. To be certain, Fisher is no pop tart. Songs like Far Cry find him drawing upon folk influences, while Moment veers into rock-oriented territory. Piano-driven tunes, like the title track and Crash and Burn, dominate his latest outing Full Moon Cigarette. In fact, he marries all of these elements and influences into a pop-rock whole that is infectious, if not always lyrically satisfying. Throughout the set, Fisher’s deadpan baritone is strong and supple. However, in spite of all of these positive aspects, the collection is missing that inexplicable something that turns a good album into a great one. In other words, Full Moon Cigarette is a promising start from an up-and-coming songwriter who has yet to find his lyrical footing. 

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Ratings

1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2006 The Music Box