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ALBUM REVIEW |
Ana Laura |
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| Artwork/Design: 8 |
| Production: 10 |
| Continuity: 8 |
| Sound levels: 9 |
| Songwriting: 8 |
| Overall Rating: 10 |
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| Radio Tracks: 1, 4, 5, 7 |
| Best Track: Sometimes |
| Website: Ana Laura Music |
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Why Ana Laura? Certainly she comes across as a genuinely nice and normal person. But from the first listen, you know that there is more to her than just an image. What sets Ana apart from thousands of other Christian artists who have well-produced music is that she has an exceptionally GREAT singing voice, a quality lost in much of today’s music.
This album starts out with the best track of the CD, Sometimes. If you like pop with a good melody, hook and guitar riffs, you will love this song! Ana has amazing voice control for her age. She’s a natural, born to sing, and varies between gentle, expressive, getting down, and rocking. She can even match Mariah Carey’s high ad lib ditties. No More is very now sounding and tailor-made for the younger listeners. It’s the only Ana co-written song on the album. Most artists write some of their own music and I am sure Laura does as well, but she is on a label and they call the shots. In Ana’s case, it worked out well using other songwriters, but I’d like to hear more of Ana’s songs on her next project.
If You Ever Fall has strings bringing in a gorgeous song which is broken up into tracks 3 (a prelude) and track 4, the song. This is so it can be used as a radio song without too much intro. The female audience surely loves this song, but no matter what gender you are you can’t help but be moved by this wonderful arrangement. Water is the third of four radio tracks, very today and unique. It has a different sound compared to the other songs on this debut album, and sets it apart on this album and on the radio as well.
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Completely sounds just like a young Amy Grant and you’d swear it was Amy (at first) if you heard it played alone and not on a CD. By the end of the song she is Mariah, but a worshipful one (thank God!) It is an 80’s throwback track, but it worked then and it does still. The opening guitar riff on Don’t Run Away sounds similar to the Clarkson smash, “Since U Been Gone”. It’s another pop delight with good drive and excellent instrumentation.
Giver of Life is a love song to our Savior, just an emotional gem. It’s a songwriter’s dream to have such a gifted singer and producer to bring this song to life. If this album wasn’t so great already I’d pick this as the best track. As it is, it’s a precious stone among a cache of jewels. Ana takes the familiar Diane Warren song, Because You Loved Me, and turns it into deep praise to the One. Because showcases Laura’s vocals again, and you almost forget there is instrumentation behind her. Abide In Me ends the album the way you’d expect it to, quietly and beautifully. It’s very worshipful, and draws to a close a wonderfully executed CD.
I’d like to shake the hand of whoever brought Ana to the forefront. She is the Kelly Clarkson of Christian music. |
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