Inside My Dream
Barb Mattiacci
Independent/AVA
10 tracks
Listening to the CD Inside My Dream by Peterborough singer/songwriter Barb Mattiacci is an interesting experience for one who has lived in Kingston for a few years. While on some of her songs Mattiacci has a very traditional girl and a guitar folk sound, many of the others have a contemporary rootsy sound very much like the Kingston band Film at Eleven. The drumming of Trent Horne especially lends the music the same rhythmic quirkiness that Lorne Miller brought to Film at Eleven.
"Fly With The Wind" and "Solid Ground" especially have that sound that suggests Tracie Morgan and Barbara Jenner of Film at Eleven may have shared some of the same musical influences as Barb Mattiacci. There are other influences apparent as well, giving this collection of songs a very eclectic feel.
With the hard edge of the current arrangement along with its rocking rhythm, it is easy to imagine "Walking Down The River" performed by a rock band. On the other hand, "See To Believe" and "Fragile Facts" have an almost Jimmy Buffett country style. Others, including "Where Do We Go" and the very beautiful "Dream Tonight," are quiet folk songs that provide an ideal setting for Mattiacci’s sweet voice. One of these, "Angels," is very pretty but is repetitious enough, in both music and lyrics, that it begins to get monotonous after a while.
Listening to the CD and reading the lyrics included in the liner notes, it seems that "Inside My Dream" does not really fit as the title song for this collection. There is a sadness to this song that belies the overall vitality of the music on this CD.
As a lyricist, Mattiacci has a very personal style that blends well with her music. It is clear that her songs are about her and about the view through her particular window on the world, yet her words and stories have universal appeal to which the listener can relate. As a reader, I would have preferred the lyrics not to have been printed in microscopic type. Especially as Canada’s music buying public ages, a larger format is definitely preferable.
Over all, lyrically and musically, Inside My Dream is uneven, very good in places but not so well executed in others. There are points where both the words and music could have been edited to improve their effectiveness. On the whole, however, Inside My Dream is an engaging and pleasing effort. It will be interesting to see down which musical road Barb Mattiacci’s next recording will take her.
|
Since about February 14, 2004, |
While you're here, please take the time to check out our sponsors below and on other pages.
Designed by R. D. MacKenzie Associates,
Kingston, Ontario K7K 6T9
This web, all pages, original content & images copyright © 1997 R. D. MacKenzie.
All reviews copyright © R. D. MacKenzie
Page created: 1997
Last modified: February 14, 2004
Yes we are
Canadian.