Aussie singer Danielle Spencer releases her second album Calling All Magicians after a long hiatus. Having spent time off to get married and have kids (she's married to actor Russell Crowe), Spencer makes a welcome return with this latest offering.
Comparisons to Tori Amos are always going to be made and her voice and vocal style is certainly similar to Tori's. Though I'd hazard to say that perhaps Spencer is slightly less quirky than Miss Amos.
And the Harry Potter like title and artwork certainly point to a more gothic feel to her music but fear not, it's not all Hogwarts for this album.
Just A Thought opens the album on a moody note and there's a sense of drama about it. Lead single On Your Side follows up with a more carefree Beatle-esque style and is quite a catchy piece with its marching piano chords. Easily the best track on the album.
The Broken Ones sees Spencer at her spooky and darkest with some spoken reverbed dialogue echoing throughout the song chanting "Sitting on a bomb and it'll blow me away".
The album could be broken up into two sections, with the more dramatic and quirky pieces like the aforementioned contrasted with some more upbeat soaring pieces.
Title track Calling All Magicians is certainly a nod to Harry Potter with its catch cry for a magical army, and along with Citizen (heavy drama) , Ghost (with some quirky elements) and Back At The Red Door (more spooky spoken dialogue), provide the album with its gothic and dramatic feel .
This is contrasted with happier pieces like the beautiful Wish I'd Been Here, with some great melodies and harmonies, along with the pleading Around The Corner (accordian opening), Fade To Black, another beautiful and very catchy piece and Empty Shoes, a song where Spencer's vocals really soar.
Overall the album is a welcome return for Miss Spencer and the long hiatus hasn't diminished her talents one bit. Some of the heavier pieces could probably have done without the heavy reverbed spoken dialogue drama as it seems a bit over the top. Hopefully we'll be hearing more of her in the charts.
ShareThis
Related Content