GINI DODDS
Mellodrama (Narnian Records)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Minnesota's Gini Dodds mixes jaunty pop, twangy Americana and tough rock on her debut disc and comes up with one of the better indie releases I've heard this year.

Her greatest strength is as a songwriter, turning out a dozen originals that cross genres but are consistently strong. Her vocal talents measure up to the tunes, with enough flexibility to shift her sounds as she shifts styles. She also contributes guitar and keyboards to the mix, and her ability as a player is strong enough to support the songs. And ultimately, it's the songs that matter. I'm particularly impressed by the opener, "Extraordinary You," "Sweet Christine" and the closing ballad, "I'll Stop By," but there's not a bad one in the lot and each listener is likely to come up with their own list of favorites, based largely on which of Dodds' styles they prefer.

Gini Dodds is definitely a name to watch out for, and Mellowdrama is definitely a CD worth checking out.

Track List:

Extraordinary You * Deep * Sweet Christine * Love Of My Life * You Can't Tell Me Nothin' * Celebrity Pictures * Save Me * Quiet Girls * In The Picture * Dry Ground * Out Of My Head * I'll Stop By

© 2000 - Shaun Dale