Lisa Madison
Kiss the Sun
Rhombus
Kiss the Sun, the first full-length release from Lisa Madison, stays true to its intended vision, never striving for heights it can’t reach. It’s an unassuming scope; one that pays off well, with Madison’s warm, collected vocals dominating. Madison is a wonderful interpreter of the songs. However, her sappy version of Lennon’s “Imagine” only serves to underlines the fact that she should stick to original material.
Kiss the Sun is dominated by adult, folk-infused soul, delivered in a laid-back, friendly manner. The album does suffer from some bland instrumental performances, and the overall sound doesn’t do much justice to Madison’s vocal performances. On the sparser songs, however, it all comes together to make beautiful, coherent sense – check out “I’m Comin’,” “Hey Marie,” and “Space and Time.”
It’s not at all original, and the album doesn’t even think of sticking its neck out, but Madison can sing anything, and it’s worth listening. Ultimately, it’s that which saves this from the growing pile of CDs you won’t ever listen to again. It might not be your favorite album this year, but if soothing, adult soul is what you’re after, then Madison is your girl.
Rhombus Records: http://www.rhombus-records.com/