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.
Full Moon Cigarette is available from Barnes & Noble.
To order, Click Here!
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