You may not have heard of Lori Denae yet. However, she has been quietly been going about her business on MP3.com with selected cuts from this advance CD, and even though it is only March (The move from the old server has delayed the posting -ED), I have no doubt that 'Crybaby' will feature prominently in my 'Best of 2001' list come December.
One of the most pleasing things about this disc is the fact that it would have been easy for someone with such a sweet and seductive voice as Lori to make a less sincere, more commercially minded album. But she's avoided that temptation and with the assistance of Melodine frontman (and all round musical genius Evan Frankfort), Lori has bravely made a record that is melodically irresistible, yet a country mile away from the homogenised garbage that pollutes most radio airwaves.
The title track opens the album, and a strong one it is too, with a haunting, moody melody and a polished production that bristles with atmosphere, effects and a very modern vibe. Pop sensibilities come a little more to the fore on the incredibly catchy 'Aiming At Your Feet', and so strong is the chorus and melody line I'm sure it will make a lot of people sit up and take notice.
Another Frankfort co-write, 'The Same', reveals just how effectively the duo work together and is a blatantly instantaneous slice of pop/rock that has shades of both Sheryl Crow and Jewel. Diversity is the key word here and 'Kinda Wanna' serves up a giant helping, with Lori's dreamy vocals and some cool guitar sounds impacting head on as the song develops into something undeniably hypnotic.
The pace picks up again on the rocky and gritty '½ A Mile', until the beautiful vocals of 'The Perfect Spot' and the simple, yet starkly effective acoustic 'Lyin' deservedly take the spotlight.  'My Time' is similarly drenched with individuality and melody, and is yet another quality tune.
Despite not being a bad song in itself, things falter a little with 'Nothing' as it doesn't quite match the standard of what has come before it, but a cover of The Tubes' classic 'She's A Beauty' restores parity. Lori really stamps her own sound on the song, and if you didn't already know it was a cover, you would think the song to be hers, so seamlessly it fits with the rest of the album.
Lyrically, there isn't a cliché or predictable structure in sight and refreshingly, there's no such thing as the tired 3 minute pop song in Denae's repertoire. Quite simply, in a female pop landscape predominantly littered with laughable manufactured artists lacking in any heart and soul, Lori Denae is a welcome revelation.

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