Chris Lee Plays and Sings Torch'd Songs, Charivari Hymns & Oriki Blue-Marches /smells like; 2002/ rating : 7

more info : www.chrislee.org

Chris Lee's sophomore album is a ray of sunlight, warming up our hearts frozen by the cold winter weather. In this album -produced by Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley, who also plays drums on half of the songs- Lee plays and sings soft and mellow soul tunes reminiscent of 70's soul with a bit of Steely Dan's jazz pop here and there (Slow as the Sun). Chris Lee has often been compared to Jeff Buckley, because of his light swaying voice, but, unlike Buckley, he is more influenced by soul and pop singers than by Robert Plant. He does sound like Buckley on 'Mount Venus' though. There is one song on the album that doesn't really fit. "The Politics of Sway" is plain boring. The following song is a delicate cover of Neil Young's "On the Beach." The album ends on "To be Known," a great closer and a wonderful song. Chris Lee's 'Plays & Sings Torch'd Songs, Charivari Hymns & Oriki Blue-Marches' is an album that can help the lonely souls defeat the downfalls of being single.

-Barbara H.