Published on May 30, 2006
Erin Boheme is next in line among the young women who
are bringing jazz-pop to a new audience. Coming on the heels of
Diana Krall and the breakthrough Norah Jones Come Away With
Me LP, Boheme helps create a casual airy jazz sound imbued with
melodic, emotional vocals.
Ms. Boheme is only 19 and has a sort of preening pop
star look about her, but she seems well-versed in the sound of the
bands that backed up Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. The disc has
that retro-40s nightclub sound, a swinging feel that conjures
images of Humphrey Bogart in a corner, lighting a cigar, while
Marilyn Monroe sings on stage.
Because of this, Erin’s vocals are what will carry
her career, since the music never rises above that basic jazz
sound, which is not a bad thing but makes this hardly memorable.
Fortunately, she has a sultry and beautiful voice, putting most of
her pop contemporaries to shame (let’s just say she’d have won
American Idol in a heartbeat).
Further showing her debt to Sinatra, she titles a
song “One Night With Frank,” name-dropping several of his bigger
hits to comprise the lyrics and completing the package with a
lounge-singer style that would have fit in perfectly in 1950. It’s
rather creative and interesting, especially because Boheme has no
interest in creating modern-sounding jazz, but also because it so
closely mimics the Chairman’s style.
Her lyrics are typical relationship fare, of the
yearning for love and crooning into a man’s ear variety. “Mold me
in your arms to fit the shape that you are taking / Paint me with
your kiss laughing with the love we are making,” she whispers on
the title cut, and I was willing to fly to L.A. to do just that.
“Give Me One Reason” is another highlight, a cover of the Tracy
Chapman hit that does service to the original.
“Teach Me Tonight” has an interesting vibe, laid-back
and sexy, perfect music to get busy to. Special note goes to David
Foster, the pianist who imbues these love songs with some heart but
never gets in the way of Boheme’s voice. Everything comes together
on “Anything,” a six-minute ballad that will make you fall in love
with your special someone all over again. Being newly single, I did
not need to hear it, but I recognized its power, even if the lyrics
are slightly trite.
Erin Boheme doesn’t offer any new insights on what
love is, and certainly the backup jazz is something everyone has
heard before. But she is one of the best singers in pop music
today, with a voice that puts pretty much every teenage woman on
the Top 40 to shame. This debut release works as background or mood
music and nothing more, but fans of Norah Jones or female
singer/songwriters will enjoy this. And be sure to keep an eye on
Erin — she deserves to go places.