Heather Nova: a delicate scent of jasmine
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CD REVIEW 
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Cyrus Hiruma
Heather Nova is a complete artist. It has an extraordinary voice, remarkable talent for writing, besides being a beautiful woman. His performance in the clips is remarkable and shows. It could be a phenomenon of absolute music sales, be on the same roll of fame of Alanis Morissette, Norah Jones, Amy Winehouse. But success is not a priority in your career.
When you invest in a repertoire more accessible, the public response is immediate: in 1998 has achieved its greatest success so far, "London Rain", which was part of the soundtrack of Dawson's Creek. The album South (2001) followed the same line and "Gloomy Sunday" was one of the themes of German film Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod.
But what matters for the singer is to expand and explore all of the possibilities that music offers. Sometimes the sound is experimental and completely escapes the conventional. You can earn some extra weight and aggressiveness or move in the opposite direction, with an acoustic instrumental minimum.
The Jasmine Flower, his new CD, follows exactly the line acoustics. The basic monitoring of the songs is the guitar and cello, which further highlights the nuances of your voice. The letters are of great importance in this context sounds.
In "Ride," as the title describes, there is a physical walk, visiting new places, unknown territories. But the main trip is psychological: to seek the best course in life, know how to choose between the trail forks at a crossroads. What is the right path to happiness? This raises questions: ("I do not know if I took the right path") and the mistakes can lead to loneliness, desolate regions "above the plains of red earth the ravens fly."
A light percussion brings more dynamics for "Out in New Mexico," which continues the story of "Ride", "I imagined a road in New Mexico, red earth, mountains and sky / I'm scared of what I will find out / if I leave scroll / look at my insides, I'm afraid of what I feel / to make this happen. " The singer manages a feat, to express various feelings with minimal variation in voice: drama, melancholy, lightness.
Choices do not always lead somewhere. Sometimes they are blind alleys or roads ending abruptly. In "Out in a Limb": "The world keeps spinning / I can not clearly see / do not have a way and I can not move / have built walls around me / I can not look beyond them." Despite the theme, the melody is less gloomy than before, Heather's voice is smoother and more vibrant pace. An interesting contrast.
It is on the track "If I Should Die" which is the explanation for the CD title, the fragility of existence: "each moment of life is like a jasmine flower in my hands." The singer exposes two distinct feelings: on one hand, the doubts and fears that bring insecurity. On the other, the importance of avoiding the existential conflicts prevent the overcoming of obstacles.
But there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and the voice of Heather becomes radiant is necessary to find a meaning in life even when everything seems difficult. "This is empty, worthless, but it's beautiful too / like a light coming through the shadows" (in "Hollow"). "I'm looking for the light to take the doubt away" ("Looking for the Light"). And in an intelligent and subtle "Beautiful Storm", the storm that arrives unannounced with all his strength and still endowed with beauty. The fascination with the brilliance of the lightning and the overcoming of fear that they impose.
The song that closes the CD, "Always Christmas" is the one that brings a full band and a climate of optimism and achievement. It's like finding the motivation to live, although the search continues for better days, "the bells are ringing / in my mind, I'm singing / but still can not begin to feel the light to which I am destined to live."
Enjoy music by Heather Nova is always a challenge: to surprise the listener, to escape the commonplace. The feeling is rewarding.
Link:
Official Home Page (Videos, music and lots of information!)
