ELENI MANDELL
Miracle of Five
Zedtone
· Los Angeles singer lightens up and dreams a little dream.
In the early part of her career, Eleni Mandell couldn’t escape constant Tom Waits comparisons. Being touted as the female Waits was almost always meant as a compliment, but likes Waits himself, Mandell understands the need to evolve. Over the years she has softened her signature gritty style and Miracle of Five, her sixth album finds her in a delightfully vulnerable state of mind.
The album begins with "Moonglow, Lamp Low," a charming prayer for "true love just like sugar in my coffee." Old-fashioned without being trite, the song is a knowing surrender to naiveté – a wide-eyed call for romantic dreaminess. The best songs on the album – "Salt Truck," "Miss Me" and "Girls" – are similarly clear and simple, with an undercurrent of melancholy creating a subtle sense of sophistication. It’s only when Mandell falls back on her darker tendencies, on songs like "My Twin" and "Beautiful" that Miracle of Five starts to falter, but thankfully, those tracks are kept to a minimum. With a pure voice filled with sincerity, hope and a palpable sadness, Miracle of Five shows an ever-growing artist who isn’t afraid to shed her street smarts and let her heart glow.
4/5
ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH
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