Abra Moore’s acclaimed 1995 album Sing may have been ahead of the wave. Joan Osborne hadn’t made a market for her voice, west-Brit techno-ballad innovators had not fully hippified new age digitality, and Americana radio had yet to break the surface. Strangest Places might just catch on, but then, it could be a different Abra.
Unlike Sing, which clung to lower tempos, Moore’s second album opens with the catchy alterna-rocker “Four Leaf Clover”, a grownup’s “One Hand In My Pocket”. It continues with the noisy mid-tempo “Don’t Feel Like Cryin’” and, excepting the decidedly downbeat “Happiness”, stays upbeat almost throughout. Infectious grooves and heavy electronics are the fun here.
Lyrics aren’t the news on Strangest Places. What’s noteworthy is that Moore’s voice is grittier and Mitch Watkins’ production is slicker than on her Bohemia Beat debut. The instrumentation’s funkier, too. In addition to Lloyd Maines’ acoustic slide on one track and steel on another, there’s a cabasa or harmonium here, a hurdy gurdy there, some baritone guitars and a B-3 throughout. Production effects spark the arrangements. One track uses a drum loop; another enhances Moore’s voice electronically, making her sound something like a mermaid.
Moore’s voice can be as pop melodic as it gets. Her control and phrasing are exceptional, ranging from loud to soft, going all scratchy or breathy to lovely effect, occasionally sounding like a little girl singing to her dolls. While she seems to hit the notes she wants and merely flirt with others, she’s cut down on some prettiness in favor of more emotion–a good thing. Her treatment of the heartacher “Summer’s Ending” is wrenching.
Moore moved last year from Bohemia Beat to Arista Austin, and the big time glamorized her right off. If you liked her bones and her animal grace, this album’s lipstick and naked legs will surprise you. On the inside, though, splayed about a chair, is the elegant rover you remember.
