Chameleon

I’ve never been fond of genres, categories, or anything that places something within a well defined box. Although I know (and known of) Danielle Allard, I have never really had the opportunity to listen to her music. (A fault of my own, procrastination is a horrible disability!) I believed she is categorized under the genre of ‘Folk’, so I had half expect such. Her album Chameleon surprised me. It was anything but what I expected. I realize Chameleon has been released (2+ years?) ago, but after picking up my copy just Saturday there was no way I could possibly simply sit back and say nothing. Allow me to comment on what are (currently) my favourite 3 tracks. (This only after the first 2 days of greedily devouring this CD). Crown I absolutely love that smoky, sultry horn/piano combo and background feel if this piece! This should most definitely have been a Bond-movie title soundtrack! What an awesome ‘feel’ and vibe Crown has! Shipwreck I listened to this track in the car while driving home from an book-signing event, alone, singing along - and I am only slightly embarrassed to admit - crying along with it. There are songs that touch the human heart, the human experience, and Shipwreck is definitely one of them. I think it is what makes Danielle Allard shine! We've all been there. We've all felt this kind of profound loss, and songwriters like Danielle with songs like Shipwreck brings it back, and in its own odd way, connect us. Not only does this track play with one's emotional heartstrings, listening to its rhyme and meter, it is most definitely a stunning piece of poetry as well. With lyrics like.... Now I'm free Free of your hold on me But I feel like a fool A shipwreck on a barstool Oh I want to be That only boat Out on the sea ...I get choked up just typing the words as I play it on repeat! Careless Whisper Wow! I'll give her this: She's got balls the size of church-bells! Scary song to make a cover of. With the golden vocals of George Michael, and a surprisingly fantastic cover by Metallica, Careless Whisper truly needed to be approached from a very different angle. But, never one to disappoint, she does it in flying colours! I absolutely adore the vibraphone/synthesizer, at times almost expecting background vocals to sing through it! Although I only mention 3 tracks from Chameleon, that’s not to say the other 6 are not worth mentioning. It’s just that - after only 2 days of listening - these are the ones I’m currently ‘stuck on’, obsessed with... call it what you will. Last December I had the fortunate opportunity to see Danielle Allard perform live at the Ugly Christmas Sweater Jam and heard a sample from her new and upcoming album - Passing Notes - due out, I believe, in April. She is currently in studio recording/editing.