Editorial Reviews Music Review:
Music Review
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; Leonore Overture; Schubert: Unfinished Symphony
Music: Aurora Guirado [Import]
Bach: Sacred Cantatas Vols. 1 - 10 / Harnoncourt, Leonhardt [Box set]
Buffet Des Anciens Eleves [Import]
Agora [Original recording remastered] [Import]
Amazon.com
A gifted songwriter with a knack for sad, ethereal country songs, Edith Frost stands apart from the No Depression pack with her willingness to experiment. Her first album, Calling over Time, suspended her tender melodies and drawling vocals in an oddly detached celestial haze; 1998's Telescopic replaced the haze with a thick layer of electric fuzz. On Wonder Wonder, the fog lifts, and what emerges is Frost's most straightforward and focused album to date. It's tempting to call this a return to basics, but that's not entirely accurate; indeed, with more than a dozen supporting players, it's certainly her most ambitious production (thanks to Rian Murphy). Frost's songwriting is as reliably strong as ever, with a noticeably lighter touch to even the most melancholy songs. The title track has a nicely jaunty feel (complete with a clarinet break), and the upbeat, ornate "Cars and Parties" sounds like a hit single for a better world. Edith Frost has long occupied her own unique space somewhere between the country and indie-rock worlds, and Wonder Wonder is another worthwhile addition to her impressive catalog. --Mike Applestein