Seastories

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2007-09-04 rating:
Minnie's Sonic Seascape
The prospect of a 37 year old, London born, Barbados and Hampshire raised Hollywood actress, making an alt country album with an impressive array of Americana luminaries might seem unlikely. What might be more unlikely is to discover that she has crafted such an impressively authentic alt country album with her powerful alto voice proving that she possesses a warm, mature and interpretative instrument.

In this, her second album, she is accompanied by Ryan Adams and The Cardinals (on four tracks), Neil Casal, Jon Graboff and Rami Jaffee (of The Wallflowers, who also co-produced the album). There is also an appearance by Liz Phair.

Ms Driver has written all of the songs on the album herself and there are enough catchy hooks to satisfy even the most jaded ear with a sonic seascape of pedal steel, piano, Hammond organ, drums, violin and cello swirling around her.

Her lyrics speak of love and she gives them the emotional reading that they deserve. Given her day job this is scarcely surprising but it does make for a rich, intimate experience that delights the heart and the soul.

With this release Minnie Driver has enriched the 21st Century music scene.


review by: date: 2007-08-14 rating:
Surprisingly accomplished
Quite randomly, I've never liked Minnie Driver as an actress. Don't ask me to explain as I wouldn't really know how to. And whilst her first album Everything I've Got In My Pocket didn't exactly reinvent the wheel it was shockingly competent in terms of an actress branching out into a musical career.

And that vein continues with Seastories.

Once again I doubt it is going to sonically astound most listeners, and indeed the gentle lilting alt-country vibe (it is not for nothing that Ryan Adams' Cardinals pop up on a handful of songs) is nothing new; there is however the sense that Driver is good at what she chooses to do.

Mockingbird ramps up the bluesy kind of rock that KT Tunstall could do very well, whilst the more gentle, piano driven ballad How To Be Good shows that Driver is just as adept at that side of things as well.

Granted, lyrically Driver's efforts are a little weak, but this isn't necessarily a death knell for the album as a whole. There is a kind of earnest simplicity on this collection that works really well. Go on, give it a go. You might be pleasantly surprised.

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