Artist: Lizz Wright
Album: Dreaming Wide Awake
Label: Verve Music Group
Tracks: 12
Length: 45:24

Review by: Mark Fisher

Lizz Wright has apparently been making a stir among fans of singer/songwriter since the release of her debut album, “Salt”, in 2003. Her sophomore record, “Dreaming Wide Awake”, finds her collaborating with such artists as Bill Frisell, Toshi Reagon, Jesse Harris, and Chocolate Genius.

This album starts out fine with the soulful folk flavor of “A Taste of Honey.” The sparse instrumentation, slow tempo, and Lizz’s rich, deep voice are more than enough to perk your ears up. The next song, Joe Henry’s “Stop”, follows in much the same vein but still keeps your interest. By track 3, “Hit the Ground” however I found myself fading fast. With the exception of Neil Young’s “Old Man” (a great song is a great song) all of the songs on “Dreaming Wide Awake” sound basically the same. Lizz’s voice is quiet and soulful but never powerful and while the tempo of the songs vary a bit, it’s not really enough to make you notice, which causes the CD to fade into background music.

The problem here is not lack of talent or natural uniqueness; it’s just the song quality. This CD needs a spark that will move the listener and the songwriters never seem to be able to hit the flint. There is a ton of potential here but “Dreaming Wide Awake” is best relegated to the adult contemporary and smooth jazz categories. If you like the smoother and less aggressive side of Traci Chapman or artists like Toshi Reagon and Sade then you may want to check this out. I recommend listening to some samples first though….