Eclectic and Electric, Revisionary History rocks! Alicia tickles the ivory with her incendiary (truthful) passion and her album is a blissful journey through time and space.
The beauty of her songs come from a spirited soul. Many albums fall under a label. It is a Jazz or Country or Blues, listeners are obsessed with naming their music. I would recommend this album to anyone who likes country, blues, jazz, funk, soul or rock and roll. I guess that means everyone should check out Revisionary History.
The album’s first single Consolation Prize is personal, unique and tells a personal tale Alicia experienced. In a recent interview Alicia explained how she “lived” this song. The multi-dimensional Alicia Witt is a musician who includes us in the song (the one sign of all good music), there is no separation between player and listener. To write a song like this, the musician must be a poet and a truthful observer. The truth can scare or inspire, here Alicia chooses to inspire.
Her “Girl anthem” About Me is sweet and tasty, comical to my male ears. However, it has a unique meaning for females and captures the insight of being a woman. The emotions are not singular, but the meaning of the emotions do differ from male to female. About Me maintains the life it has when played live, Alicia takes her smile from stage to the studio. Alicia and her music are always smiling, it is hard to not smile when listening to this song.
Another superb-refreshing tune is I’m Not Ready For Christmas. Here Alicia takes the Christmas carol and flips it on its ass. Instead of Jingle Bells and Noel, we hear the real thoughts of someone who is not ready for Christmas and does not have their plans ready. Alicia explained this song as an answer to the question you hear all December “What are you doing for Christmas? Are you ready for the Holidays?”. Alicia’s insight in to this (almost pointless) endless question everyone has during December is rare and original.
If you think you heard enough of the musical spectrum, you haven’t. Down (featuring T.O.N.E.-z) is hip-hop meets Elton John with the soul of Same Cooke. The beat is hip-hop, but Alicia acknowledges her love of Crooners like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and gospel with a sprinkle of cries and hollers molded into the background.
Once a musician reaches back to the root of cries and hollers (real Blues), all bets are off. Here on Revisionary History there is no pit-stop of good times. I also recommend the tracks Friend and Blind.
