MAGDALEN HSU-LI
Fire (ChickPop)
Reviewed by Melanie Campbell

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Trendy music cranked out by cookie-cutter, flavor-of-the-month rock bands seem to be the rule rather than the exception these days. But beyond the reach of 'demographics' and 'playlists,' there exists a whole subculture of musicians who care way more about their craft than where they might end up on the charts. Enter Magdalen Hsu-Li -- an artist, painter, poet, and speaker whose social consciousness and positive attitude could only shine through music that is much more than 'disposable pop.' Brutally honest songs about love and life, structured around mellow piano and other acoustic instruments, evoke comparisons to Tori Amos and Jewel. However, where Amos and Jewel's voices lean toward the higher end of the scale, Hsu-Li's voice is a lovely contralto. It picks you up and carries you away into a shimmering landscape of sound, where the words paint picture after picture. Far and away, the finest track here is amazingly, the first single, "redefinition." If you like this one, you'll surely like the rest of the disc, as it is a very good representation of the entire work. Fire is, ultimately, a release that will provide sheer listening pleasure, and we do mean listening. If you're looking for 'disposable pop' that doesn't require critical thinking skills, this is no place to be looking.

© 2002 - Melanie Campbell