Ka Leo O Hawaii

Issue date: 11/29/07 Section: Mixed Plate

Media Credit: Courtesy of Virgin Records Alison Sobul, also known as A Fine Frenzy, debuted her first single "Almost Lover," and reached 25 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.

Virgin Records
$13
Released July 2007

Los Angeles singer/songwriter Alison Sobul, known on the music scene as A Fine Frenzy, creates a wistful, dream-like fantasy world with her poetic lyrics and eerily stunning vocals on her debut album, "One Cell in the Sea." A Fine Frenzy exudes a confidence that seduces the listener from beginning to end.

"Come On, Come Out", an up-tempo, radio worthy track with the vocal appeal of Sarah McLachlan and the musical styling of British pop rockers Coldplay and Snow Patrol. Sobul's voice is a haunting blend of vulnerability and strength, like Evanescence's Amy Lee, with an airy soprano that almost whispers her inner thoughts and lifts them into the atmosphere.

The frenzy in Sobul's mellow, but not melancholy, music comes from the delirium created by the contrast of pulsing beats and the calming voice amplified in tracks like "You Picked Me" and the finger frenzy on the keyboards in the bridge of "Rangers."

The songs sound amazing stripped down to the vocals and piano with minimal strings on tracks like "Almost Lover" and "Near to You", but also with full instrumentation backing them in songs like "Hope for the Hopeless."

Songs like "Liar, Liar" and "Think of You" have the indie rock sound that would fit perfectly a Zach Braff soundtrack - think Garden State or the television series Scrubs.

A piano-dominant ballad with calmly tormented vocals, "Ashes and Wine" is reminiscent of Fiona Apple's Tidal. "I don't know what to do anymore, I've lost the only love worth fighting for … I'm ill with the thought of your kiss, coffee-laced, intoxicating on her lips," she sings in that my-heart-is-broken-but-I-will-somehow-be-ok-because-I'm-getting-over-it manner apparent throughout the album.

The way Sobul can borrow musical qualities from a number of artists and draw upon the fantastic worlds of literary works for inspiration (her name comes from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Nights Dream) to make a fresh album puts A Fine Frenzy in a class by itself.

What works for this album is a good balance of talented musicianship and mellow pop sensibility with catchy hooks that keep you bobbing along and humming even after the music has stopped.

Music from A Fine Frenzy has appeared in episodes of several television series, the Dan in Real Life movie soundtrack and a holiday compilation CD from Starbucks.

The first single "Almost Lover" reached 25 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. A Fine Frenzy is also one of VH1's You Oughta Know artists.

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