The Frosting Entices: Part 2

Cake

The cake was divine! Exemplary texture: it wasn’t too spongy, nor was it too crumbly. It held together till it hit my tongue and then dissolved into a sugary bliss that tickled my mouth.

Music

The first bite of Margo Rey’s Habit hit me hard in the gut. The title song was a solid track graveled with the rootsy snarl of The Stones, but refined by the elegant grace of a silken melody. I found it hard to focus on the lyrical details because the vibe of the music was so spirited that it swept me along like an overpowering riptide. In a flash, I had been dragged out into Rey’s shimmering sea of adult pop music infused with jazz and set atop a lively assortment of funky grooves.

While adrift, I discovered that Margo had a tremendous dexterity. Her tonal colors can range from a deep, tranquil blue to a flickering red-orange heat. Her voice can rise up and crest like a great wave just as easily as it can roar down with a surging tidal passion. Rey also has the ability to create an intense and affecting seductive tension that makes songs like “I Saw You” toe-tinglingly delicious!

Cake

Unfortunately, the cake was so scrumptious that I immediately clamored for a second piece . . . and that’s what did me in. It’s eye-rolling sweetness was precisely perfect for just one slice. Soon after that follow-up portion, it felt like a spike had been driven up through the roof of my mouth and hammered into my brain. I experienced a painful OD on the yummy goodness.

Music

Listening to Margo Rey is also fab, but there’s no danger of undesirable side effects. She often employes a juxtaposition of two (or more) contrasting elements nestled within each song to provide emotional equilibrium. Biting lyrics might be set to an upbeat melody that is carried along by a shoulder-shimmying beat. Just check out “Pla$tic Karma.” There is balance, you can continually mainline her tunes without fear of unhealthy repercussions.

Habit builds in sensual ferocity as the album progresses. The feral finale, “She’s Not There,” not only tweaks the familiar song with a wild, uninhibited panache, but it provides an indulgent and supremely satisfying finish to the record.

Epilogue

Yeah, I ate the cake again for breakfast this morning, but just a half of a piece. I gotta be careful to limit my intake. Margo Rey? She’s been on repeat all morning. No worries about getting too much of her!

Note

Margo Rey will be accompanying Dave Koz on his 15th anniversary Christmas Tour 2012 (which starts in November). Other artists appearing include David Benoit, Javier Colon, and Shelia E. For more information, visit: www.margorey.com.