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Marci Geller, one part of the Lucky 13 trio before it was disbanded, has released her first solo CD of adult contemporary tunes called Open Book.
The New York-based folk singer-songwriter is particularly proud of the project which she funded with the help of her fans. Of course that makes me feel even worse saying that I wasn’t too fond of the album. In short, nothing sets it apart from other music circulating today, and its freeform (read: no rhyme) style makes it really hard to connect to the lyrics.
Although I prefer music to have a bit of an edge to it, that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate more subtle genres. But as much as I wanted my opinion of Open Book to change while listening to it, I realized that if I had to force myself to like it, that meant something was off. That’s not to discredit Geller’s talents as a singer though. She has a soothing voice with a very delicate phrasing that’s quite different from other musicians I’ve heard recently, but this still isn’t enough to redeem the album.
The one highlight for me came towards the end of the CD with a track called “Tom McCarthy.” The intro catches your attention with its slightly sinister/melancholy-sounding piano solo resembling Supertramp’s “The Logical Song.” The song’s upbeat energy stands in stark contrast to Open Book’s overall laidback and mellow tone. Yet, if this style of music is your cup of tea, I invite you to give Open Book a listen by visiting Marci Geller’s website.