Ralphy's C.D. Reviews

Review date 20-04-2000: Pat Cisarano - C.D. Ah

This is a strange story with mixed feelings. I'm not talking about the album yet. For the first time in the history of this music site, a musician (Pat Cisarano) asked me to review an album of her, because she liked the spirit of the site. To be honest I had never heard of Pat Cisarano before, but I was flattered and asked her to send a copy of the album and she did along with some promo-material. According to that Pat is reasonably well known and praised within the New York music scene and has also been into acting in Spain. This is her second album entitled "Ah" after the first letter of the Tibetan alphabet, which among other things symbolizes all sounds of the universe. The symbol for this letter is depicted on the cover of the CD and is said to bring good grace to all who look at it. Another thing that got my attention on the promo-materials was that Cisarano performed "Muddy Water Blues" together with Paul Rogers and Slash (ex-Guns'N'Roses) at the 94 Woodstock festival and was described as "the real deal" by veteran Tony Bennett, so that was promising.

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I've had the album in my possession for almost 2 weeks now and listened to it very thoroughly. My first impression wasn't one of enjoyment and if I had bought this album in a store I wouldn't have given it a second listen probably. But due to the circumstances described at the beginning of this review I felt compelled to give it a second (and even a third) chance. I started looking for details on the album I could be positive of and I did find some, but to be true to myself, I honestly cannot say that I would suggest other people to buy this album. First of all the type of music on "Ah" is not one that I'm crazy about, it's basically too jazzy and smooth (not like the Santana/Rob Thomas-song) for my taste. Not that Pat Cisarano has a bad voice, but it isn't remarkably good or even just remarkable either. Especially the songs in the middle of the album don't do nothing for me, starting with "Ways of life" (a poor attempt at reggae, the other reggae song "So glad that you're gone" is better, but nowhere in the league of the likes of UB40, Bob Marley or even Peter Tosh) and ending with "Thank God for the blues" (to me a bit of wailing guitar is necessary in a blues-song, so I wouldn't even call it that). In the first real song of the album "All in this together" my favourite part is the trumpet which brings something special to an otherwise equally bad song. "So dedicated" after that isn't bad, but the best (least bad) songs of the album are at the end. "Love save the day" and the closer "I promise you peace" are OK, the latter has a gospel-feel about it, which again is not a fave thing of mine. The 2 songs that I do like in a way are "Hold my hand forever" and especially "Sugar melts in the rain", but they cannot save the album for me. Once again I will say that it's somewhat to blame on the type .

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Pat Cisarano e-mailed me a few times after she read the review. This were some of her reactions: "Ofcourse you are entitled to your opinion. Thank the lord that many others disagree with you! Yours is the first bad review that "Ah" has received (really), and I suppose I needed it to toughen me up. As for the other artists that you mentioned, I am not attempting to sound like anyone other than myself, nor do I pretend to be shooting for a purist reggae sound in any way. So mine is a tough business, you take chances and sometimes it doesn't work out for the best. It sounds to me like you did put the time in to listen, and I appreciate that. I just hope that too many people aren't completely turned off to me without hearing me..So one more request. Obviously your review had a big impact on me, because I've been thinking about it all morning. Perhaps you can put my website address in your review so folks can judge for themselves. Maybe your piece will get them curious enough to take a look & listen. Since I am independent, there is really no way for them to find me unless they know where to look. That's fair, right? I promise not to bug you again!" I'm glad to oblige that request and put that link right here http://www.mp3.com/patcisarano. By the way I never felt "bugged" by you in any way and wish you all the best with you career and life. Obviously I'm not the ultimate judge of musical taste and there are probably people with a lot more knowledge about the music you make and perhaps people should listen to them or indeed your music itself. Good luck.

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