Lizz Wright Orchard CD

 Wright Smolders "Going Home"
I must admit, I had to wait to comment on Lizz Wright’s considerably warm pipes. I have been disappointed with so many young artists who either forsake all originality for the quick buck. I listened to her first CD, the Jazz-Pop oriented Salt, and then the ethereal Dreaming Wide Awake. Now that she has released The Orchard, I cannot hold my tongue any longer. Wright is unquestionably one of the most original and sincere young artists to arrive on the music scene in the last three decades. The Orchard finds Wright again produced by Craig Street who has an uncanny ability to get vocalists to dig deep into their own psyches. Wright’s smoky vocals blend folk, country, soul into what sounds and smells like her (and my) native Georgia. This time out, however, Wright co-wrote 8 of the 12 tracks on this CD. Her most frequent compositional partner is the underrated Toshi Reagon (daughter of Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, noted historian, vocalist and founder of Sweet Honey ‘N the Rock). Wright The opening track, a Wright/T. Reagon composition “Coming Home” has a gospel/anthem quality. "Leave Me Standing Alone" is a decidedly funky uptempo plea. Yet Wright does best when she shows off her considerable interpretive skills on the old Ike & Tina Turner chestnut “I Idolize You.” Her reading of Patsy Cline’s classic mid-tempo “Strange” is slowed here and turned into a languid and haunting torch song. But buyer beware. This is not Soul music; it is not Folk; it is not Jazz; it is not Blues; and it is not Country. But it contains components of all of the above. It reminds the listener of the hybrid that is Southern music, and Georgia music in particular. I can smell the Georgia pines and feel the red clay between my toes with each listen. All of Wright’s albums tend to become more impressive and more enjoyable with each listen. The Orchard continues that tradition. Wright’s deep and serene introspection may not appeal to all listeners. She almost requires that the listener bring something of him/herself to the table. But if you hang around awhile, you will not be disappointed.
Submitted by L. J. Allen yojnella60 (Atlanta, GA, USA)
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 Smooth, vocals once again
Liz Wright presents another smooth laid back vocal style. Never one to push her vocal range that you know she has. Sit back with a whisky on a late evening & chill out to the music. This is an album that will grow on you with successive listenings. Unlike a lot of todays music, this is very well recorded.
Submitted by Ian (Australia)
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 everything fine
everything fine
Submitted by anke (lindlar germany) 
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