 CD MUSIC REVIEW |
 by Katherine Epstein & Kelly Weisman As a group of encore music writers gathered for their weekly assignments, two were given one in the same: Preview the divineMAGgees' show at Ibiza. "What? Two people cover the same show?" It raised a few questions, and eyebrows. "What happened to the regular assignments? You know? Give one person a press kit and let them have at it -- a solo gig?!" Well, it sounded too boring -- too much like the norm of alternative weekly newspapers. And we, at encore, want something outside the norm. Something that may reflect what you readers do when listening to music: talk about it. So we decided to let Katherine Epstein and Kelly Weisman sit down and share their thoughts on the divineMAGgees' latest release, love me like the roses. Here's how it all unfolded: KE: They could be the clones of the Indigo Girls, minus the country twang -- which is exactly what makes me turn the radio station whenever I hear the Indigo Girls. KW: I like the fact that one has a deeper, sexy voice, just as strong and dominant as Melissa Etheridge sounds, yet with a more impressive range. The other exhibits a sweet, yet mysterious cry. KE: As I listened to "love me like the roses," I was surprised that I actually enjoyed the music. Comparable to Shawn Colvin or Paula Cole, divineMAGgees have a blend of slow, Southern country and lullaby-like sounds, with instrumental variations ranging from fiddles to electric guitars. KW: It is great to hear someone tear up a fiddle. "Silver Bullets" allows you to really hear the fiddle and guitar, which work so well with Tibedo and Cregan's voices. KE: I really like to hear lullabies about the torments of love. "Hole in the Wall" and "Love me like the Roses" are perfect examples of songs that get you through these torturous times. KW: I think "Love me like the roses" exudes grace and passion. It makes me want to cry because it is just that good. This album would be good to listen to after a long day at work, when you need to just unwind and get swept away from the stress of the job. KE: I also felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia when listening to "North Carolina." I like the lyrics: "I wanna wake up in North Carolina, open my window / we're gonna dance 'til the stars close their eyes / Nothing can keep me from my heartland / I'm gonna love you sweet Carolina." KW: The lyrics throughout the album are quite romantic. However, my favorite has to be "Little black crow." It jolts the cd with an exuberant pace. When the girls harmonize on teh first note, it sends chills down my arms. In fact, those erector muscles don't get a rest for the entire duration of the cd. KE: The album reminds me of the glory days; the feeling I got when I listened to Oh! Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack in teh Appalachians of Murphy, North Carolina. It's good, old-fashioned roots music. The divineMAGgees' latest release has launched a massive tour, which treks up the East coast, stopping at Ibiza Nightclub on Thursday, October 13. Come and join in on the discourse. Love me like the roses is sure to have everyone talking. www.encorepub.com |
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