Angela Josephine takes the do it yourself approach on a restful sense of URGENCY. She wrote and sang all eleven songs here, played guitar, piano, sang backups, programmed drum loops, and arranged MIDI synth, flute, and strings. Oh, and she provides photos and original paintings for the album art. Musically, though, it seems as if she is searching for a signature sound.
"Flutterby Butterfly" has a 70's feel to it, while "Strength of One" is more country/folkie. "I Got My Jesus" is a coffeehouse, acoustic number, and "How Good You Are" leans toward Sade or Diana Krall. "She" could be an homage to Tori Amos. Some would say this is a sign of Josephine's versatility, that she cannot be pigeonholed into one style, but the album suffers with its lack of cohesiveness.
"Nothing is Worth More than Today" emphasizes the need to follow God in the moment, not as a future goal. "My Help" is Psalm 121 set to music. "Boy Blue" combines the old nursery rhyme with Matthew 18. "Road to Jerusalem" is the closer, and the tune that shines most lyrically:
Oh daughter of Zion
Your king has come
A knight in shining white
like the midday sun
So lay down your cloak
at the feet of the man
Who brings a kingdom of peace
to this broken land...
The overall impression here is that Josephine has legitimate talent. There are some good moments here, and she is an able songwriter. It may be the indie approach that causes the letdown - it is almost as if the first eleven songs available were chosen, rather than showcasing her best material. Of course, if history is any indicator, she will become incredibly famous, and this review will haunt me for years to come.
3 tocks
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