Beth Bombara – “It All Goes Up”
Album Reviews | Aug 3rd, 2023
Record Label: Black Mesa Records
Genre: Singer/songwriter
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One tends to think of blues when conjuring up the sounds of St. Louis, but singer-songwriter Beth Bombara has some rather creative tunes for your listening enjoyment.
“Lonely Walls” is an intriguing composition, with Bombara’s vocals perhaps reminiscent of Sarah MacLachlan. I really enjoyed “Everything I Wanted,” a more uptempo tune that bears a hint of the stamp of country. “Get On,” to me, was a headscratcher, but then along came “Carry the Weight,” a soulful ballad that is arguably the album’s highlight. “Curious and Free” is a mysterious tune, with an absolutely killer fiddle solo in the middle that evokes thoughts of the frontier.
“Give Me a Reason” has a ton of musical DNA going on, and as intriguing as it is, I’m not 100 percent sure it quite knows what it wants to be. (Listen for yourself and make up your own mind.) Bombara is in fine form with just her acoustic guitar for company on “Electricity,” which, natch, also features plugged-in instruments as well. The album ends on a tad of a whimper, with “Fade,” a kind of surreal night-night tune.
The disc is uneven but works some groovy musical wonders, especially when Bombara weaves sonic yarns rather than delve into experimental tangents.
Notable Tracks: Lonely Walls, Everything I Wanted, Carry the Weight
Overall Rating:
