CD Review – Susan Cowsill
Lighthouse
Threadhead Records
Rise up New Orleans! Ever since Hurricane Katrina, there have been a plethora of artists that have made songs/albums that are about/dedicated to New Orleans. Brace yourself for the next in a long line. Lighthouse is Susan Cowsill’s second solo effort and was inspired by the devestation the Katrina left. Cowsill, herself lost two brothers and almost all of her possessions.
The most heartfelt song is “River of Love.” Written by her late brother Barry, Susan played Barry’s guitar and sounds like Bonnie Raitt in her prime. Sadly, this is the only track with staying power. The rest of the album is decent, but it falls prey to the adult-contemporary trap: Mid-tempo tracks with no real punch. Cowsill is obviously talented. She’s been performing since she was eight with her family The Cowsills. But it seems that she has been sucked into the mid-tempo muck that so many other artists fall into. Hopefully she can pull herself out on her next album.
