CD Review
Deborah Colemane
What About Love?!
Telarc Records, 2004 (CD-83595)
by Tim Holek
Review date: October 2004
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Portsmouth, Virginia-born, Deborah Coleman, was raised in a music-loving, always-on-the-move, military family. She picked up her first guitar at age eight and has been recording for over ten years. Her debut on the Telarc label contains 11 songs which are mostly about the struggles that come with love. All songs are strong especially the covers written by Gary Nicholson, Ellis Hooks/Jon Tiven/Sally Tiven, and Colin Linden. Coleman's precisely-played guitar is sharp and cutting especially when she power chords. At times, her voice is plain and sounds too much like Chrissie Hynde and Patti Smith. The impressive backing band includes: Hiromasa Suzuki guitar, Noel Neal bass and Per Hanson drums. The band recorded the CD in November, 2003, at The Centre for Performing Arts in Unity, Maine which also included their accommodations.
Coleman is a hopeless romantic who pursues real love throughout the entire album. She twists, tortures and plays with her fret-board as if it is the very "Bad Boy" she sings about on the opening track. Ken Clark's earthy organ inconspicuously adds a swampy presence to "Lie No Better." On "Undeniable," Clark pumps and pulses rousing energy to the fold. Deborah's vocals are extremely sexy on the romantic "Can You Hear Me?" Here, her vocals are as expressive as her guitar. She performs a rock and boogie version of the Everly Brothers', instantly recognizable, "When Will I Be Loved?" It is about searching for ideal love but never finding it. So, it perfectly fits this LP's theme. You get the feeling, Coleman needs to visit the "Healing Grounds" regularly from too much bad love. On the title track, she adds fuzz tone to her guitar solo which gives a hard edge to a song that questions ethics and morals. Once she finally finds love, she concludes there ain't no fury like "A Woman In Love." However, no fury exists in her voice or guitar on the track. The most unique song is the instrumental "The River Wild." It is mysterious and suspenseful and unlike anything she has previously recorded. On it, her guitar becomes a gun that rapidly fires. Her Jimi Hendrix influence can be heard here.
Like her previous Blind Pig releases, this 50-minute disc combines elements of pop, rock, blues and soul. Primarily, What About Love? is a collection of roadhouse rock numbers that would fit nicely on mainstream pop/rock radio. However, this CD will not elevate her to the next level since there isn't enough new arrangements that she hasn't done already on previous discs.
For CDs and further information, contact: www.telarc.com
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