Album – Midwestern Hurricane – Maggie Walters

Posted by admin on May 31st, 2008

The thing that really intrigued my about this CD was the ethnic overtones that are instantly apparent. Unfortunately for all the ethnic overtones, it can’t hide that fact that the opening track, “Fingerprints” is also pretty forgettable. Maggie has a great voice, but this track really seems to lumber along. “Ann Marie” again has some very interesting sounds and here everything seems to kick into gear. Maggie’s vocals have an unnerving sexiness to them. This track however is still only a warm up, it just gets better and better.

“Girls Like Us” has a funky, almost 60’s psychedelic feel. The first three tracks, have distinctly different flavours, but the one thing they have in common is a wonderful production. There’s just all sorts of audio nuggets lightly buried, waiting to be discovered. The vocals here are also a bit racy and at times frank, but they work really well and you just can’t help but get lulled by the driving guitar and wonderful touches. “Under the Table” is one of my highlights on the album, along with “Girls Like Us”, it’s also a track that suddenly brought to mind a wonderful vocalist, but the name just wouldn’t come to me. It took me a couple of listens before I slapped my forehead and remembered, Natalie Merchant, former 10,000 Maniacs singer.

“Captain” has that experimental edge to it, but oh those vocals and the mesmerizing tune, almost like a soundtrack to lovemaking. “Sundays” is a delightful track, but a track that really seeks attention, with it’s simple melody and accompaniment. It’s a track that has that instant repeat effect and one where you feel like you’re hanging on Maggie’s every word.

“Water Signs” for me is a bit of a pot boiler, pleasant, but nothing more. I could see how “Be Careful Love” was going to unfold, only hearing the first seconds. A very country feel, with just the merest hint of something more progressive. I was expecting much of the title track, “Midwestern Hurricane” and not just in song length, which here was a tad over 5 minutes. Whilst I liked the ebb and flow of the track, it never really blew me away, which is something I was sort of expecting. The final track “You Got Something” rounds things off nicely, albeit with a track length that screams the perfect single size, at a tad over 2 minutes.

Conclusion : This for me is an album, that starts off slow, but really comes into it’s own. It did take me a while to really get into it as a complete work, but Maggies is a voice I could listen to for an eternity, as long as it’s singing the right songs. Certainly an interesting album, with some great audio production and a few stellar tracks. Whilst there is nothing particularly bad on this album, there’s a few tracks that didn’t gel with me, but more than enough tracks to make up for it.

One Response to “Album – Midwestern Hurricane – Maggie Walters”

  1. kevin Says:

    heard she has a new album coming out this summer

    i bet it's going to be awesome

    can't wait to hear some tracks

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