Emily Bezar - "Exchange" Review

Artist/ Band: Emily Bezar
Title: Exchange
Label: DeniVox records
Year of Release: 2008
Offical Artist/ Band Link

The Review:

Emily Bezar returns after four years after her last release ‘Angels’ Abacus’ with a dynamic progressive rock/fusion based album called ‘Exchange’. Musically, it’s a culmination of styles, sometimes within the same piece, that she visited on some of her previous releases especially her amazing debut ‘Grandmother’s Tea Leaves’, which in a way I feel can be companion piece to ’Exchange’. Vocally, she is still channeling such famous sirens as Kate Bush & Tori Amos but with a more skillful operatic vigor. Maybe she’s taking the best of them and morphing into something, dare I say, grander, perhaps?!

I’ve had the pleasure to hear all of Emily’s solo albums and with each one she grows as an artist. With ’Exchange’, she shows a growth that while harkens back to the classic days when music was considered an art-form, it has a modern appeal especially for those that want substance in their music. ‘Exchange’ has become my favorite of Emily Bezar’s releases to date, especially the first four tracks; the opener “Saturn’s Return” (which to me sets the mood for the rest of the album),“Anything They Say”, the sorrowful “Lament” and the upbeat fusion sounds of “That Dynamite”. The entire album is as perfect as it can get.

After several listens, my opinion is that Emily expanded and perfected ideas she started on her debut. With most of the tracks being lengthy, it gives her and the musicians the chance to truly explore with no bounds. The results are an aural roller-coaster journey that is given to the listener on ‘Exchange’, thus giving a high recommendation from me!

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on November 3rd, 2008

Tracks:

1. Staurn's Return

2. Anything They Say

3. Lament

4. That Dynamite

5. Heavy Air

6. Strange Man

7. Glory or Crazy

8. Climb

9. Winter Moon

10. Exchange

Reviewed Discography

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