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Zain Lodhia

The Leap

Review by Gary Hill

There is some great music on here. There is also some stuff that I don’t find as compelling. More often than not, modern overly pop-oriented production is the factor that makes this stuff less than great. There is solid songwriting throughout and the vocal performances are all strong. I just think that sometimes the production is too pop-oriented. It also means that some of this stuff probably won’t hold up that well over time. Ultimately a few years down the road it will feel dated. Still  this is an entertaining set no matter how you slice it.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2013  Volume 4 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
Lost for Words

The keyboard type sound on this is a little overpowering, but otherwise it’s a good, straight ahead modern pop tune. There are some club elements at times that are also a little over the top, but it’s still effective.

Beautiful Devotion
There is a cool soulful groove to the rhythm section on this one. The music doesn’t overpower the vocals like it did on the opener. This is another modern styled pop tune. It’s got some hip hop in the mix at times and overall is a good number.
Lifetime

The two opening tracks felt a bit too much like manufactured pop music. That’s mainly because of the production and arrangement. Well, this one is no less accessible, but it’s much more meaty. It’s closer to a pop rock meets alternative rock style. This is much stronger tune than those two openers, and they were pretty good.

The Leap

Combining the sound of the first couple songs with the more alternative rock based elements of the last one, this is an effective tune that’s a good middle ground. There are some female vocals in the mix for good effect. It’s a more soulful song that’s quite good.

I Wonder

Leaning more on the rocking side of the equation, this is a killer alternative rock piece. It’s got some magical layers of sound and overall is just a really strong number. This rocks out more than most of the set and seems more organic and less over-produced.

Send Me Away (featuring Katie Foster)

This cut is very much set in a modern electronic pop music vein. The thing is, while it’s arguably the most blatantly pop linked cut to this point, it works better than some of the others. It’s just that effective. In fact, while I’m not a huge fan of this genre of music, this is one of the strongest pieces here.

Keep Breathing
Electronically enhanced pop music, this is not that far removed from a lot of the rather proggy pop music that is often heard on the radio. It’s not as overproduced as some of the other stuff here. Perhaps comparisons to Coldplay, but with a more urban vibe, wouldn’t be out of the question.
Long Run
This is a mellower, ballad-like tune that’s much more organic than a lot of the other music here. It’s another that calls to mind groups like Coldplay quite a bit.      
Close
Here we get another mellow tune. This is actually one of the better cuts, but it seems a bit too like the previous one. It seems that splitting those two up might have lent a better flow to the album.
Shadow of Your Light
There’s more energy to this. It’s bouncy and rather fun. It’s also a bit overproduced, though. Still, it’s a good change of pace and quite catchy.
Dreams Out Loud
Although this one is still more energetic than some of the other music and a bit on the overproduced side, it’s stronger than the one that preceded it. The vocals really sell this one and it’s a good pop tune.
Make It Through
This song does suffer a little from overproduction, mostly on some of the vocals. Still, it’s a solid alternative rocker with a lot of pop music in the mix. This is quite a cool tune. It’s one of the better ones here and has quite a bit of diversity and range.
Lost for Words (Acoustic)

Here we get an alternate version of the album’s opening piece. Personally, I like this version better. It has some great acoustic guitar work and doesn’t feel as trendy. The vocals shine far better here.

Perfect World (Hidden Track)

Although this track is hidden, it’s great. It’s sort of a melodic ballad with a lot of great melodies and layers of sound. It’s quite organic and quite pretty.

 
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