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review by Bill Binkelman Bless Davol! I didn't think anyone was making infectious cheery EM/new age music any more, but he's not just making it, but making it fantastic! This music kicks your ass (in the best possible sense) and takes your name afterwards. a day like no other has to be one of the best "driving" CDs released this year or even in recent years. Davol's last album was 1999's excellent Open Book, but this recording proves the adage that something good is worth waiting for, 'cause boy is this album good! Davol's music has always been about superb use of electronic keyboards, used to create a hybrid of bouncy new age instrumental pop, electronic jazz fusion, and smooth adult contemporary grooves, and a day like no other doesn't just stick to that formula but hits it like a bulls-eye. One track after another on this album is instantly appealing, immensely accessible, and polished to a sheen so bright it could hurt your eyes. However, underneath the glitz and high-tech wizardry is music that is every bit human, full of heart, passion, soul and an abundance of good cheer. This CD will almost certainly put a smile on your face, a pep in your step, and an overall feeling that the world is a pretty good place after all. Like I wrote earlier, bless Davol for still making music which exhibits happiness and good will. "say it" starts the affair amidst sampled guitar, flowing synths, twinkling effects, and a bouncy dance beat that fires off a healthy dose of fun. The mellow piano at the beginning of "human" is merged with some chilled rhythms and swirling keyboards before peals of guitar and a heightened sense of joy take over. "lucky day" features what sounds like real guitar, shuffling electronica beats and echoed keyboards, all dressed up in a nice assortment of synthesizer accoutrements. "necessity of love" quiets things down at the outset, with delicate bell tones and swooshing synths, but a percolating chill-out beat nicely counterpoints the more romantic underpinnings. Vangelis-like synth horns carry a melancholy refrain that soon melds into quasi-Mediterranean sampled plucked guitar, still maintaining the beat underneath it all. "just like you" begins with blooping bleeping synths, and a sexy female spoken word vocal by Meiji is framed by subdued but insistent dance beats. The resulting groove-laced tune would fit in nicely on the sun-drenched beaches or neon-lit clubs of Ibiza. French lyrics spoken by Joseph Amram start things off on "of the valley" along with haunting deeply echoed bell tones, but shortly after this Davol morphs the track into the most EM-sounding cut on the album. Retro synth arpeggios combine with mellow keyboards, all of it buoyed by a beat that hits just the right tempo - not too fast, not too slow. Okay, I'm going to let you discover the rest of the album for yourself. I'm thrilled that this album arrived in time for me to review it because I can't recommend it highly enough if you enjoy music that goes straight into your bloodstream and makes you want to move. If you have friends that don't normally enjoy electronic music but who do like, e.g. '80s synth pop or the more electronic fusion side of smooth jazz, this might be the very album to bring 'em into the flock. a day like no other is a stunning display of an artist at the literal top of his game. I simply love this CD to death! |
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