Artist: Sheila Soares
Album: Journey to the Present
Year Of Release: 2022
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Tracklist:
01. Journey to the Present (4:57)
02. Rescued (4:15)
03. The Man Who Makes Me Lose My Mind (3:09)
04. Hot Lemon and Honey Kind of Gal (2:53)
05. Limelight (5:18)
06. I Don’t Need to Tell You Everything (5:50)
07. Left (3:13)
08. Don’t Sleep (2:59)
09. Credits (1:38)
Toronto, ON-based jazz singer-songwriter Sheila Soares unveiled her second album, Journey to the Present, on September 22, 2022.
The eight-song release features six tracks which are written solely by Soares, plus there is a contemporary jazz title track, which is a poem written by Randy Gordy Lee, and Sheila wrote music, and a cover of Rush’s “Limelight.”
Recorded in early 2022 at Kensington Sound in Toronto with Bernie Cisternas once again engineering, mixing, and mastering. Cisternas had also recorded Sheila’s 2019 debut album, All There Is. The producer role this time around was shared between Sheila and Bernie.
After multiple listen-throughs, many songs stood out and choosing only two was tough, but I managed.
Track three, “The Man Who Makes Me Lose My Mind,” was quick to catch my attention with its mellow, cool beat. The lyrics are fun and witty, such as “Is it your cool nonchalance or the sound of your voice, you’re the man who makes me lose my mind,” and “You’re defying my logic, passions flagged in my heart, you’re the man who makes me lose my mind.” I found myself singing along and smiling throughout, thinking of the man that makes me lose my mind.
“Hot Lemon and Honey Kind of Gal” is the complete opposite type of song, but I loved it just as much or more. Upbeat, cheery, and vibrant throughout, this track reminds me of something from a classic musical, and boy, do I love musicals. I found myself tapping my feet, dancing in my seat, and bobbing my head the whole time, and of course, I had to replay it a few more times after that to keep the groove going. The lyrics, “It’s funny how they think they know what my desire might be, Choosing without giving me a say, If you took a sec to ask me, Came on over said hey hi, Would it be so very tricky, come on now don’t be shy, Cause I’m hot lemon and honey kind of gal,” is both cute and engaging to the listener. Once you add in the music solo that lasts for a minute in the middle is so entrancing I couldn’t get enough of it.
All in all, Journey to the Present is a well-put-together release featuring a mixture of soulful jazz tracks that are pleasing to the ears.
