Duo Hopes Big Things are
on the 'Horizon'
By Gregory Cooper
The Patriot Ledger
The duo Blue Horizon is a rare find. Like many other
fledgling rock bands in the Boston area, they divide their time between
street corners and small clubs, at the same time working day jobs to fund
their musical endeavor.
But unlike many, this outfit's the real thing.
The band consists of violinist/vocalist Elizabeth Stephen and
guitarist/vocalist Jason Imbesi. Their debut CD, a self-titled collection
of eight tracks, challenges the boundaries of rock music in a way that is
refreshing in this era of style-over substance pop stars. (The band will
hold a release party for the album at 9PM August 25 at the Kendall Cafe in
Cambridge. The CD is available on the band's web site,
www.bluehorizonmusic.com, at www.cdbaby.com and at live performances.)
At its street performances, Blue Horizon's sound is consistently mellow,
but the CD offers a more upbeat, decidedly rock sound. In fact, the
opening tracks have an almost country feel, but the album takes a turn
toward more traditional rock with the third track, "Long Way To
Go." This ability to vary their style from one song to the next, and
from one performance to the next, sets them apart from the general run of
today's pop music.
Stephen and Imbesi share the leads as singers, and they have an impressive
ability to harmonize while never overpowering each other. Stephen's violin
and Imbesi's guitar join their voices as an integral part of their music.
Stephen's lyrical, and at times haunting voice is a beautiful blend of the
best qualities of some of modern rock's best vocalists: the soft power of
Joni Mitchell and the Indigo Girls' Emily Sailers, the vocal beauty of
Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan, and the more distinctive sound of The
Cranberries' Dolores O'Riordan.
Stephen effortlessly ties together all of these qualities, from the
painful beauty of "When The Sun Goes Down" to the more
traditional poetry of "Seattle."
Imbesi's voice is in the classic rock mold, but with a slightly softer,
more innocent side. Starring on some of the album's faster tracks,
Imbesi's voice never loses its energy, and he seems equally at home with
the soft, emotional "Slide" as he does with "Tonight,"
an upbeat ballad with an almost '50s, Beatles feel.
Together, the pair's core sound is in the spirit of Fleetwood Mac and The
Band - a blend of classic rock, folk rock and modern rock, though with its
own distinctive twist.
The album's energy is high and the focus is on the whole product. It goes
beyond single stories, telling its own tale of love at a critical plateau.
Though its themes are common, the album is anything but common, exploring
new dimensions of modern rock.
While an album more in line with the band's live face might be better
received, Blue Horizon has ample time to perfect its image. In the
meantime, they've hit the ground running. |
