Eleni Mandell - Miracle of Five

Genre rock Publisher Zedtone Records External Links Official Eleni Mandell Website Official Zedtone Records Website

If you replace Cowboy Junkies' Velvet Underground affections with touches of jazz, yet still keep the mood severely subdued, you will approximate what Eleni Mandell has created with Miracle of Five.

Jeff Turmes is one musician in particular who helps give Mandell's new music its late night, jazz club feel, exemplified by the jazzy saxophone solo he contributes to "Moonglow, Lamp Low" and his gypsy clarinet work on "My Twin." Mandell is one of those minimalist, less-is-more kinds of singers, even though producer Andy Kaulkin provides Mandell far more rhythmic propulsion than Margo Timms' usually receives during typical Cowboy Junkies hearse rides. While Mandell (just barely) has the beat, her singing is nearly whisper-quiet most of the time. She veers closest to Cowboy Junkies' narco-pop on this disc's title track, which moves with nighttime trail ride, clip clop momentum. It's a musical vehicle one can well imagine Timms riding.

The dreamy feel of Mandell's music is supported by her somber lyrics. During "Girls," for instance, she worries about a lover's bedtime thought life. "Do you still dream about girls, girls, girls?" she asks. It is difficult to dispute this unspoken musical truism: the slower the tune, the sadder the sentiment. Yet Mandell rarely sounds downtrodden during these consistently geared-down tempos. Surprisingly, her gentle tones come off like soft Disney movie lullaby reassurances, instead, which may cause you to slow down, stop worrying and just relax for once.