earBuzz
Review: "Spiral Dance" includes a dozen tunes that follow the brand
of "Fire Trance", but branches out musically a bit in format to touch more genres
such as pop, jazz, and straight eastern music. The record opens with "Sacred
Geometry", which is mixed and produced more 'up front'. The vocals are approached
with a completely different mix - less reverb, more presence, and certainly
more commercial appeal as we can hear the vocals more deeply. The tune moves
in and out of eastern and pop flavors, with hypnotic grooves and vocal chants.
Clean guitars along with rock electric lines add to the appeal - wonderful tune
and the best on the record. "Mystic Kiss" combines rock acoustic ballad guitar
pickings with swelling string keys and more eastern flavors. Fontain's voice
is perfect. The largest departure, at home in a New York groove jazz club, is
track 7's, "Yellow Jello". Here, Fontain showcases scat and jazz interpretation
to the expert-tee. Fun is also had (already with Yellow Jello) in track 10's
upbeat eastern romp, "Rainbow Lullaby". The tempo is happy, joyful, and infects
the package to complete enjoyment. Well done.