| Issue
#113
Dec. ‘08
somewhere in BLUE is a powerful
statement from a
Rock-n-Roll adult. Deena has taken her
sweetness, evidenced
through some of the most versatile vocals of pure innocence, and
crafted a gem
of an album. This album becomes a classic for every mid-life rocker
whose roots
drink deeply from the country/southern rock/rockabilly influences of
the 50s,
carried through the 60s, and 70s, right on up to where this huge
demographic of
music listeners is today. This album is a history lesson tied around
Mid-life
and it gives back the love/music that has gone missing in our lives. It
metaphorically
updates our love affair(s) with music by taking to task a story of a
lonely,
loving, isolated, caring soul committed to a long term relationship
with many
ties and obligations. But, there is something missing – while
committed enough
to understand the scope of her world and how much rests and relies on
her, she
has convinced herself content with her situation – Yet, she
seeks solace in a
semi-dreamlike state, or as the narrator calls it: somewhere in BLUE. A story arc
develops through
several different perspectives and scenarios as she begins, not to
abandon her
state, but to explore the possibilities of all the stages she needs to
fulfill,
in order to validate her existence, in regard to what cannot be found
or
fulfilled within the limited reaches of her everyday life – a
life which grows
shorter with each year – a Mid-life crisis? A Love crisis? A
music crisis? Or
simply a crisis? Well Deena, with somewhere in BLUE, has made it
all a celebration.
This album
opens with the title
track, somewhere in BLUE: a dreamy
Starland Ballroom
musical setting, which has us half-expecting Dusty Springfield to step
to the
mic. Somewhere in BLUE is loneliness; it is reflective of a searching
heart, a
soul who has lost what she once had and wants it back. She searches,
leaning on
an old flame: a Buddy Holly-esque ballad standard which Deena wraps her
aching, longing vocals
around. So melancholy, so down-in-the-dumps blue, we feel her love (and
the
music) aching to be wanted, to be needed again:
Blue surrounds
me
Wraps itself
around me
If only it
were you
My love could
come through
Somewhere in
blue
Is this
pointed at a fantasy escape
in the mind of our protagonist? Or is it a real possibility on her
part? Or
perhaps it can also be viewed through the eyes of the other partner?
Either way
we’re into an in-depth exploration of the lure of infidelity
in the heart, soul,
and sound.
Enter Mr.
Midnight, all amped up
as our adventure begins. She’s tossed
herself out there, open to the possibilities that may be achieved even
if
within the limitation of her life, and Mr. Midnight is definitely a
possibility
because she caught his eye. This seemingly dreamlike sequence is
accented by
call and response, angelic, multi-layered backing vocals working over a
real
garage-y/grunge-y guitar and a driving indie-pop dance beat, that sets
us up
for the morning after and another dawning for our heroine…
I Wish
I Could Be Enough looks at the
failing relationship(s)
from a point of view valid on each side – the person who
can’t be enough: “What’s
wrong with me?” A somber pickin’
tune drawing on country roots-a-billy blues to accent the hurt and
heartbreak
as she realizes that the relationship she is desperately trying to
cling to is
in a whole lot of hurt:
I gave you all
I’ve got
My sweetest
every drop
Now
you’ve got me wondering
What’s
wrong with me
What’s
wrong with me?
Again another
revelation, and again
the hurt builds – Why Do
Hearts Grow Cold is a pure
Grand Ole Opry Country
song, which one can envision a young June Carter belting out. Our
lonely lover
questions the state of the relationship, and between the subtle banjo
pickin’
and slide guitar weeping (built around the chorus:
Why do hearts
grow cold
Why does love
grow old
These are
things that no one ever told me
Everything
begins
Then one day
it ends
It’s
just a very simple story),
it’s
clear that her romanticist
view has finally realized that even though deep down in her heart her
love
still rings true, it may be growing cold.
So
let’s check out Gemini
Guy.
He’s described using a Surf/Garage/Girl group sound a la
1980. Here we have a Debra Harry/Blondie track played for all
it’s worth as Mr.
Gemini steps in for Mr. Midnight. But he’s not really there
for her. She thinks
he is, thinks him and her could hit it off well, both seem to have the
same
agenda, but she can’t pin him down.
Midway through
this Midlife
fantasy, What the Love (Are You
Gonna Do?) throws down
the funk and busts it open by using a RockDownBaby meets
Talking Heads meets Sly & The Family Stone with an awesome Sax
break to
boot. This song exposes various themes of the infidelity of the heart -
the
twists, the turns, the attraction, the excitement of each
individual’s search
for happiness in life, and the realization that all these different
measures
can be brought to light, but at what costs? (and we note how the
musical
landscape provides a perfect backing track of metaphoric delight
– piece it
together once the entire story is told and you’ll be amazed
how music can be
substituted for any of the characters here).
I got a big
love and a big heart
I'm going lay
it out there for you
What the love
are you gonna do
What the love
are you gonna do
I got a big
fire that you sparked
And I think
I’m lighting you up too
What the love
are you gonna do
What the love
are you gonna do
She needs him
bad, bad, bad and
here there is love involved, here it’s getting Funk-u-fied.
She’s put it out
there, given up and given in, it’s time to see if the
emotionally damaged soul
within can actually ever find the love and self-worth that have been
left by
the wayside for so long…
Ramblin’
Dave shows up,
messing around with her to a Southern roots
rocking barn-dance-on-a-Saturday-night charmer. She falls hard but
realizes
that both their primary commitments will doom what they might possibly
try to
achieve…
You know you
light me up when you look my way
Even though I
know it’s a big mistake
Because
there’s no good result… but there’s no
escape
Maybe
it’s the scenario that is the
escape. Which we are reminded of by That
Moon’s Got It Made. Staying with
the country flavored
slide guitar work, it represents a bit of a reflective look at what the
story
has progressed to, envying the Moon as the metaphorical heartstring
tugger . Clever
word play highlights the different points of view that each song/story
underlines. The sequencing here is crucial as we are reminded of the
dreamlike
state that introduced the story to us. Has everything that transpired
so far been
the real story? Or is she still within that dreamlike state and
following the
story her imagination, emotions, and music have laid out for her?
Best
Kind of Something bursts forth
and has the barn
dance a Honky-Tonkin’, filling the joint with a whooping and
a howlerin’ as
Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Train is heading down the track.
This is an Elvis Presley
Movie where they let the starlet take the mic for a song to give it to
her lover
boy – She’s telling him that she’s got
what he wants and needs, so come and get
it! – She’s taking it into her own hands
– She got love for him, he’s got to
understand and take it. Finally, it feels good. She’s seen
the light. Having a
blast, enjoying her life like she wants to. This is so much fun and she
admits
to becoming so lost in her daydream that it really doesn’t
matter anymore, what
matters is the end result and that’s the joy and happiness
she’s feeling, and
you know what? It is the best – the Best Kind of
Something - but...
I heard the
word. somewhere a long time ago
I got lost in
a daydream, and I’m still somewhere in it, don’t
you know
Oh
baby..BING..BING you
ring my
bell
I'd fall head
over heels if I hadn't already fell.
oh yeah...
Oh yeah...,
and then, Science Fiction takes that
something out into the astral plain. This is no
adolescent soap opera; this is educated, world-wise adults exploring
alternate
pleasure routes within the limits of our earthly beings. Experimenting
not with
drugs, but with metaphysics, in ways that should be disproven, but when
called
upon within the realm of possibilities, make more and more sense with
each year
closer to death. So when this Classic Punk/New Wave, Garage/Grunge tune
starts
mowing it down with
Feel my
telepathy
Feel my
telepathy
Feel my
telepathy
We’re
buying in 100%
You Are
the Sweetest Dream brings it
back down to reality and
gives a ballad that does it right - Borrowing a Beth Orton style
arrangement
and instrumentation and delivered in a sweet Deena lower octave.
Again, we are left
to decide whether this heartbreaking album was all a dream or if the
dream had
actually been lived out (and possibly to its fullest). Either way there
is a
reluctance to acknowledge whether or not this has concluded or if it
will
continue.
The closer, Goodbye
Dreamer, says
farewell. But farewell to whom? The original
relationship? The Clandestine relationship? Or perhaps the dreamer
herself? Has
she finally found herself and the strength to carry on regardless of
whatever
conclusions we have drawn from her tale? The important lesson here is
the
journey she has taken. Whether figurative or literally, she/we have
learned
more about love and life through the beauty of music. somewhere in BLUE is Deena’s musical
affair of the heart. Spreading
the love around, so that we are once again young and joyful.
You know just
what it means
This dream we
have
Just want to
share all the beautiful things
And make you
glad
Something like
this so sweet
Baby, can't be
bad
deena -
somewhere in BLUE
is available now for: $9.98 + s/h*
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This
reviewer has known Deena Shoshkes for almost 10 years now. First
introduced to her through the 1999 release Total Vegetility by her band
The
Cucumbers,
I quickly caught up with their not-quite-illustrious but solid career
of smart NJ indie pop dating back to 1982. Still releasing quality
material up to and including the IndepenDisc August 2004 Feature CD All Things
To You.
Deena also recorded a children’s rock album in the
‘90s
released as Over The Moon as well as the studio dance classic RockDownBaby
in 2006, (the IndepenDisc June Feature). Now comes her first solo
release simply credited as deena.
*Shipping
&
Handling charges:
USA - $3.00
for the first 2 CDs
ordered,
Add $1.50 per each CD after.
Canada - $5.00 for the
first
CD ordered,
Add $2.00 per each CD after.
Everywhere else -$7.00
for the
first CD ordered,
Add $3.00 per each CD after.
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