Abra Moore's voice is hard to categorize but if I had to: I'd say she sounds a bit like Victoria Williams and Billie Holiday with the intimacy and innocence of Karen Carpenter's voice thrown in. The truth is, though, that Ms. Moore is foremost her own person. She writes her own lyrics, plays several instruments (including the drums) and isn't afraid to throw away the formulas of pop. (I read somewhere she was originally encouraged to be like Michelle Branch or one of Ms. Branch's many sound-a-likes; instead of going that route, she revamped the album she was working on and came out with one of the most dreamlike, heartwrenching CDs you will ever hear.)
The opening track "I Do" is a lush, positive song and gives comfort to those lonely feelings you get late at night. From the beginning notes to the lovely bridge, this song takes off and flies. No words can capture its beauty.
"No Fear," "Taking Chances" and "Melancholy Love" all have a slight edge to them which provides relative ease from the more heart-breaking moments on the album. These are the more happy, in-control songs.
"Family Affair" and "Pull Away" are perhaps the best songs I've heard on any album in the past ten years. They pull at your heart and won't let go and if you've just been going through some issues of your own, you better reach for those tissues. I dare you to listen to: "Don't take away the one love that matters./And I'll get well, you'll see. You're all I have, you're my family." and not lose it. It's not just the words, it's the way she exposes her whole self on the album, the way the simple lushness of the music reminds you of the days when harmony really MATTERED in a song.
I was in the mood to listen to this other day and discovered to my horror (and "horror" is the right word since I adore this album!) that I've somehow lost the cd I bought so long ago at Best Buy. Looks like I'm going to have re-order it since this is something you don't want to part with once you've heard it for the very first time!!
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