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American singer/songwriter Brooke Waggoner has just released a new CD, entitled Originator. Brooke, who hails from Nashville, has been steadily gaining much-deserved attention over the last few years. The 2009 release of her third album, Go Easy Little Doves, debuted at #1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter Charts and was also nominated for an Independent Music Award for Best Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album.
I feel that I need to start by pointing out that although Brooke currently does reside in Nashville, this is not a country record. Brooke is a pianist whose voice I’d describe as heavenly, with her piano playing adding to the feeling that you’re floating high above the ground, soaring along with her vocals.
Along with her keyboard work, drums, guitars, horns, and brass flesh out the songs. “Rumble,” a single from the CD, clearly exhibits the coming together of the instruments in an almost march-like cadence. The one negative of the song: it’s too short.
This CD is certainly one with many musical twists and turns; these aren’t your standard “pop” songs from the kind of female vocalists who currently are garnering the most airplay. The twists and turns are often highlighted by Waggoner’s piano playing, which is every bit as emotive as her voice. There is a uniqueness about each track on the CD, which made me focus my attention on each part of the recording. I never felt as though one song sounded just like another.
The highlight of the CD is the closer, “To Love.” It’s a hauntingly beautiful song, which also features contributing vocals from Sanders Bohlke. The song is arranged with Brooke and Sanders singing back and forth to each other, ending with the words, “Be wise, you fool.” I suggest that you be wise, too. Pick up a copy of this CD, and let Brooke’s voice wash over you in a soothing musical massage.
