Holly Cole - Shade
Alert/Universal Music
We
all have memories of favorite summers. The year that tan
looked just right, a vacation with a little romance or simply
clouds parting for honest self reflection. Like a good Christmas
CD a summer concept album can remind us to stop and smell
the roses on many different levels. Toronto's Holly Cole
has done the Christmas thing and levels is what she's all
about so this album is more than a warm weather travelogue.
On "Shade" Cole as usual digs a little deeper
and perhaps finds new meaning in older songs by Cole Porter,
Irving Berlin and even Brian Wilson. Holly Cole may sing
other peoples words but she certainly isn't sold on the
typical meaning behind any song. "Doing a cover is
one way of looking at it but I don't look at it that way,"
says Cole "I think of cover songs as being quite related
to the original songs and that can be great but I don't
think that is what I do." What she does is draw her
own conclusion on what a particular song is about and sings
it from her point of view. That results in older tunes sounding
completely different via tempo, inflection, instrumentation,
production and most importantly a new emotion and interpretation
of those words. On Brian Wilson's Beach Boys classic "God
Only Knows" Cole elongates the verses and looks at
the story from a different angle Cole Says, "When I
first heard the song my interpretation was that is was a
love song and the lyric says that it would be negative if
I was without you. You can also interpret as God only knows
without you I would be better off." Cole gives every
song the same treatment. Oscar Hammerstein's "We Kiss
in a Shadow" features the singer sounding like a little
girl, vulnerable and quiet "There are many things the
song could be about, it could be about a love affair that
she is having with someone else who is married. So, she
is not in control of that situation." Cole adds "Another
thing I have thought it could be about is about a hidden
relationship between gay lovers where they have to hide
it because it is not in maybe their society." This
album may have a lot of thought behind it but it's also
light, breezy and fun. The opening track Irving Berlin's
"Heat Wave" has that familier Holly Cole trio
Jazz feel that this album returns to and Cole delivers the
words like in her usual deliciously, sassy manner. Other
highlights include "A Cottage for Sale" with almost
choo-choo train background vocals and tasty organ licks
from Dylan Heming. This album marks her return to Jazz with
long time collaberators bassist David Piltch, and pianist
Aaron Davis. Mark Kelso does an amazing job on drums and
Cole expands her boundaries by serving as producer for the
first time. "Shade" is a perfect summer treat
that will enhance any season. by John
Beaudin
