LISA NEMZO
Videos by American Songwriter
Unlock My Heart
(DREAM WILD)
[Rating: 3.5 stars]
She’s a songwriter of remarkable range, from stunning soul fervor to full-blown rock passion. Lisa Nemzo conjures up a universe of colors with her orchestral guitar parts, like Joni Mitchell playing with The Byrds. Released both on CD and in a special double-disc vinyl version, it’s an album that makes no promises it can’t keep; boasting a dimensional diversity of styles, it’s united by the singular passion of her singing. The great power pop of “This Time” opens, exploding like an anthemic hit single on a muscular groove and killer chorus. “Blue Around the Edges” is a country-rock bluesy romp that Mick Jagger could sink his teeth into. “Indigo” is a glorious ballad bolstered by painterly lyrics, a folk-jazz melody and a fluid bass-line. In “Hidden Message” comes a poignant earthbound quest to both find and fathom the divine within and without us, while “Bad Seed” flips that coin: it’s a gritty r&b proclamation fueled by commanding Chrissie Hynde-like take-no-prisoners vocals. “When It Comes To Love” is a soul rave-up perfect for Aerosmith, punctuated by stinging Clapton-esque guitar lines by Bruce Michael Miller. A masterful work, this long-awaited tour de force was worth the wait. But here’s hoping the next one doesn’t take as long.
