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Reviews: Jocelyn Scofield ~ This Life
Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 @ 08:20:25 PDT
Topic: Reviews
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Artist: Jocelyn Scofield
CD: This Life
Home: Los Angeles, California
Style: Piano-Driven Pop/Rock
Quote: "A collection of complex and intellectual compositions that don’t sound too artsy."
By Jennifer Layton
Jocelyn Scofield is a true composer, not to mention a clever stylist. The blonde tresses on just the back of her head give her a halo effect in her photos, which matches the vibe of her music perfectly -- there is something very ethereal going on here. It’s also a bit goth in the energy and intensity, so she’s more of a dark angel. And her music will sweep over you like a suddenly approaching storm. This is passionate, sometimes operatic, always vibrant pop/rock with a voice like a gutsier Fiona Apple. You won’t be able to shake this off easily.
We open with the high-energy “Drive It Away,” which celebrates the therapeutic effect of just hitting the road. The first thing that struck me about Scofield’s music is that it’s played with majesty and deliberation while still be accessible and enveloping. In other words, her work is a collection of complex and intellectual compositions that don’t sound too artsy. I got wonderfully lost in this sound. These songs are primarily piano-driven, but she blends in the string arrangements and vocal harmonies that soften some of the edginess of her lyrics. Very Sgt Pepper-era Beatles.
One of the standouts is “Better Off Alone” with its changing tempos and moods. This woman does not worry about being radio-friendly, which is just fine with me. The vocal harmonies ring out with assertion and strength. Another standout is “David’s Oh,” a wonderfully clever and funny love song to Michelangelo’s Statue of David.
Sweet David please won’t you
Break out of that statue
I’ve traveled round and haven’t found
Your legendary assets
Such humor gives the added touch of balancing out the dramatic intensity of the rest of the album, which is why putting it in the very middle of the collection was smart move. And finally, we get the title track, in which the rarely-revealed sweet side of Scofield’s voice emerges in those blissfully high notes. A heavenly way to end the CD.
http://www.jocelynscofield.com
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