Oh my... I recall four years of searching Paris high and low for the vinyl LP of this, and the great listening experience after finally owning it (it cost me more way back then than the CD costs now, but, heck! was it worth the wait!)Now you don't have to go to such lengths because someone had the excellent idea of issuing it on CD! (so far, only a short-lived Japanese CD had existed, circa 1990).
What can I say about Brenda Russell? She's AWESOME! You may not immediately appreciate her raspy voice and undermined singing, but she's most certainly one of the most gifted songwriters ever this side of World War II! And once you actually get into the depth of her lyrics and the unique atmosphere of her songs, you WILL be moved by her singing.
"Two Eyes" was a fantastic album, and sadly, like the rest of her records, was mostly ignored by the public. Could it be that Brenda is destined to forever be a "musician's musician"? I'd say she's just too talented to ever compromise with the musical trends and goes her own, brilliant way, unashamedly. So be it!
If you like the fusion of pop and jazz, Al Jarreau, Michael McDonald, Michael Franks and other similar artists, treat yourself to this CD, you won't regret it! And if ever you can get hold of a second-hand copy of "Soul Talkin'", don't miss it either... It was her best album EVER !
Her current album, "Paris Rain", is energizing and delightful; her 1979 self-titled debut already displayed amazing songwriting abilities; her rendition of Sting's "Fragile" on Kirk Whalum's superlative jazz album "Cache" is another masterpiece, and my favorite version of the song; and for the icing on the cake, dig the cool, cool version of her classic "Get Here" as featured in Dave Koz's "Dave Koz & Friends" Christmas album.
Brenda, you're fantastic. Keep it up!
