Joy Askew
(self-released)
Considering her credentials -specifically, her contributions to efforts by Peter Gabriel, Joe Jackson, Jack Bruce and Laurie Anderson, as well as others - it ought to come as no surprise that Joy Askew is as assured as she seems on Drunk on You, the latest in a string of albums she's released over the past decade.
Askew can take credit for any kudos she's due, however; while her songs emulate the atmospheric approach patented by her mentors, her porcelain melodies, soaring arrangements and sultry vocals reflect an individual authority. Likewise, her keyboard-based template becomes both captivating and compelling, a hypnotic blend of dense instrumental textures and troubled tomes that elevates the music to unexpected heights. Songs like "Drunk on You," "Walk the Dog" and "AOA" settle in somewhere between the exotic groundswell of Kate Bush and the more serious intents of Tori Amos, while the bitter reflection of "Had a Bad Day" and the saunter and swirl of "I Broke the Law" add to the fascination.
The second half of the album navigates jazzier realms, but it's clear early on that Drunk on You poses an enticing proposition - intense, adventurous and... yes, wholly and completely intoxicating.
DOWNLOAD: "Drunk on You," "Had a Bad Day," "AOA" LEE ZIMMERMAN
