e_burrell's Full Review: Thread of Blue * by Dana Mase
It seems immediately refreshing to have a new female voice hit the scene that doesn’t have to fit the cookie-cutter mold of teen rebel or sex vixen. In one fell swoop Dana Mase’s (or ‘Dana’ as she’s known on her second album “Thread of Blue”) voice manages to gently float from the heavens and cut the likes of Avril Lavigne and Britney Spears in twain. With her soft words, Mase is able to rock you harder in a few songs than Courtney Love's "America's Sweetheart" can do in an entire album.
Harkening back to the days of the introspective female, Dana Mase has self-penned an accomplished, slick album of post-modern pop ditties that seem familiar enough to hum along to upon first listen. On one of the strongest tracks, “Tear Streaks”, Mase sounds like a mix of Sheryl Crow and Dido – taking the very best elements of both and melding them into one twister of emotion. You can also marvel at her ability to flawlessly channel Natalie Merchant and Tori Amos in the very next tune, “Passion”.
Although Mase manages to ape the previously mentioned artists (and also, incidentally, Sarah McLachlan) with ease, the sheer intelligence and savvy of “Thread of Blue” intoxicatingly draws you in and makes you forget you’ve heard much of this before.
“Seraphim and Seagulls” is a great example of how inspiring Mase’s music can be. As the title might imply, this one soars with hope and wonder. “Over the desert of doubt / above the sea of faithlessness / out of the prison of hate / over the mountain of fear… / stretch out your arms and feel the wind / and rise with seraphim and seagulls”, sings Mase and we believe her. In the liner notes, Mase notes that all proceeds made from “Seraphim and Seagulls” will be given to charity.
As with her contemporaries, Mase seems to have both feet firmly planted in her spirituality, and on “Stronger Than” that really shines through. Although she makes more than a few silly pop-culture references (name dropping everyone from Bill Gates to Diet Coke), she conveys that the power and control of God is more powerful than even the ‘best sex’ – and that’s a message in of itself that you rarely hear in mainstream music.
On “Tuscany”, a nice switch in rhythm and mood, Mase fantasizes about things she’s missing while living in the modern world. The minutiae of getting pornographic emails daily and washing dirty dishes makes her dream of living in a little castle by the sea. And who can’t relate to that, really?
“Touch and Go”, the strongest track on the album, is also the closer. The lyrics are just spectacular – and the simple piano and strings parts recall Joni Mitchell at her finest. As the album ends, it’s a great promise of things hopefully to come.
Dana Mase is one of those talents that come along once in a blue moon – she manages to incorporate all the best traits and assets of your favorite female artists and meld it all into one endearing package to be bought and treasured. “Thread of Blue” is that endearing package and one worthy of your interest.
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