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Non-Prog CD Reviews

Juliane Jones The Space between the Telephone Lines Review by Gary Hill This is an unusual release. It’s hard to classify. It’s modern sounding, but also classic. It’s tied to pop music, but there are plenty of other elements here, too. It’s meaty and yet accessible. Some of the lyrics are in English while others are in Chinese. The thing is, this album is captivating and beautiful. It’s powerful and one might even say “magical.” It’s an especially effective release that I would recommend highly. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2014 Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review

Walking on a Winter Night Bouncy and fun, this is catchy. Considering that some of the lyrics are in Chinese, that really speaks to how well the song is written.

Rhythm & Blues This feels a bit more serious. It’s got a pretty and rather lush arrangement. It’s not as instantly accessible as the opener was, but it’s got a lot of charm and magic built into it. There is a bit of an exploration into jazzy territory later, too.

When You Sleep Although much of the same pop music vibe is here, this has some variety. That comes in the form of a bit of classical, symphonic element.

Just a Feeling This is slower and gentler. It’s a pretty piece of music that’s basically a classically tinged modern pop tune. I’d consider this one of the highlights of the set, really.

Wooden Horse The arrangement on this is quite lush. It has some hints of progressive rock, but still lands thoroughly in modern pop music territory.

Heavy Things This is quirky, that’s for sure. It’s also quite tied to electronic music. Yet, it’s still bouncy and accessible. It’s also lots of fun.

Hey Shadow Folk music, jazz and more merge on this playful number. The vocal arrangement really sells it more than anything else. This is one of my favorite tunes here. It’s accessible and also meaty.

The Bicycle Song On the one hand, there are no major changes here. However, this is one of the best songs of the disc. It’s bouncy and classy and just a great tune.

Cotton Candy Classical music merges with folk and even some progressive rock here. This is another powerful piece.

Jack This seems related to “Hit the Road, Jack,” but the title would give that indication. Musically there are some hints of blues in this, but overall it’s got a lot of folk and jazz built into it. It’s another strong tune that could be considered a highlight.

Water As good as the rest of the set is, this might be the best song of the set. There is a lot of folk music in the mix, but it’s also got quite a bit of progressive rock in the mix. It’s dramatic and powerful. It’s also very pretty. It’s a dynamic number that manages to be quite accessible while changing throughout. Whether you think there are better songs here or not, (and personally, I don’t) this is a great way to end things.

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