The Absence

I discovered Melody Gardot last year when I bought Charlie Hayden's charming album "Sophisticated Ladies". There, along with Diana Krall, Norah Jones, Cassandra Wilson and Renee Fleming was a name and a voice that I didn't know - Melody Gardot. I was instantly captivated and thought that she outshone the other luminous ladies on that disc by a considerable margin. I immediately bought two of her albums and have played them constantly since. Gorgeous voice. Precise phrasing. A purity of sound that I find extraordinary. The ability to hold a perfect note for so long that you begin to think it's enhanced. All coupled with excellent musicianship and superior songwriting. In my view, Melody Gardot is as good as it gets among the pantheon of contemporary jazz singers. I am a serious fan.

When The Absence was marketed pre-release, I ordered immediately and had my disc on the player as soon as it was available. Played it once. Played it twice. And haven't played it again. For me it was a huge let-down and I am struggling to understand exactly why. The voice is the same. The musicianship is the same. But the soul of the music is gone. This is just another pop album to my ear. Nothing special about it. Just Meh! It has to be the material. The songs on this album represent a different tack for Melody and I really don't want to discourage any artist from experimenting outisde of their normal comfort zone. But this doesn't work. The songs don't play to Melody's strengths. There are lots of other female pop singers who can do this type of music just as well. Nothing wrong with it - just Meh.

Melody, please take your hauntingly beautiful voice back where it belongs. This isn't you. Jazz is where you excell. It may not be as commercial but in the jazz world you will be a super-star for decades to come. In the pop world you are just another voice. Please come home.

Melody Gardot's third album "The Absence" was inspired by her travels to Portugal, Morocco and Brazil. She not only travelled to these locales, she immersed herself in the cultures, learning new languages, both linguistic and musical. These influences find their way into many of the album's eleven tracks. "Mira", "Iemanja" and especially "Lisboa" are the best of these exotic tracks. There's also a three-song stretch of film noir-tinged music - "Impossible Love", "If I Tell You I Love You" and the album's stand-out cut "Goodbye" where Gardot's versatile voice simulates a baritone sax as she growls out the chorus. Because of Melody's 2003 accident, the songs again are mostly quiet in nature. This is most evident in the opening few tracks which I found a bit sleepy. The album as a whole, apart from the production, does not seem of this time. Gardot has a unique way of making her compositions sound like they're long-lost tracks from the Great American Songbook. Adventurous, joyous and romantic, "The Absence" is a perfect late-night listen.

Great listen for a quiet, romantic evening. Since "My One and Only Thrill", her style and voice have matured to full bloom. She no longer sounds reminiscent of Norah Jones, but has crafted her only unique brand of music - dark, sensual, exotic. This album reminds me of velvet, deep red roses, and candle light.