lambchops's Full Review: Surrender Dorothy * by Alana Davis
What once was cool can suddenly become distinctly unimportant. That’s exactly how singer-songwriter Alana Davis felt when she found commercial success with her 1997 debut Blame It on Me and then only a handful of years later the same record company that once dubbed her the next big thing refused to support her eclectic sophomore effort Fortune Cookies.
Davis’ second album deserved recognition, but Elektra didn’t see it that way. It didn’t take long for her to part ways with the company. She ended up launching her own company (Tigress Records) instead of having to deal with major label politicking. In the end it seems that Davis made the right move—her third album Surrender Dorothy is just a fresh and emotional as her previous releases. In fact, as her career progresses her sound becomes more diverse, richer, and ultimately more interesting. This level of creative freedom and growth is what we all hope singer-songwriters can achieve.
With deep familial music roots, Davis’ pursuit of a career in the industry is natural. Her father is late jazz pianist Walter Davis, Jr. and her mother is jazz singer Ann Marie Schofield (aka Anamari). Music running thick through her veins, Alana Davis always appreciated music but didn’t set her mind to actually making it until she was a young adult. Of course, we all remember her first single—a cover of Ani DiFranco’s 32 Flavors. It was a gorgeous track, but still perplexing was the fact that it was not an original track. Delving further in her debut unearthed a gem—an R&B album inside a pop album inside a folky rock album. Follow-up single Crazy was a mild radio hit and further cemented her burgeoning fame.
Davis made great progress on her rather unappreciated sophomore album Fortune Cookies. If there is one great thing to have come out of her experience with that album (outside of the good music it contains), it is the sense of freedom she found. Her new album, Surrender Dorothy, is the culmination of her combined frustration and effort. It is an evocative, heart-felt effort that has already earned her the respect of critics, magazines, and websites. This album proves that Alana Davis is the real deal.
Consistently good from start to finish, I’m immediately drawn into the album by opening track The Letter. The center of everything Davis does is her unique, soulful voice. Her performance style is honest and sensual. Even better? The songs are simply wonderful. In The Letter Davis is backed by an acoustic guitar and drums most notably. With this organic, folk aesthetic her soulful voice is pushed even further into the spotlight.
Davis continues in a similarly impressive though more “plugged in” style on second song The Benefit. Bold, confident, and beautifully arranged the track blends funk, jazz, R&B, and rock together into one tightly knit package. Slowing the pace slightly and pulling the drums to the forefront just behind Davis’ voice, Create is another interesting and outstanding song. After three tracks, the fact that Surrender Dorothy is a consistently good album that’s easy on the ears and endearing on the heart is becoming obvious.
I tend to prefer the acoustic tracks on Davis. Her voice is so interesting and wonderful that stark instrumentation is what detracts the least from what should be the centerpiece. Vision (along with the aforementioned The Letter) and later on Wide Open are the best of the acoustic selections. With that said, Davis is refreshing to listen to. There are few singer-songwriters out here this innately gifted and this easy to appreciate. Her sound certainly appeals to rock, jazz, pop, and R&B fans alike—there really is something here for most everybody interested in female performers.
Surrender Dorothy is a mostly entertaining and nearly flawless release. As the album passes the midpoint, songs like the light country-tinged ballad Right There and the smooth and jazzy Desert Rose also strike a chord in me. However, The Reaper positioned in the ninth spot is easily one of the most striking tracks. The Blue Oyster Cult classic is dark, mystical, and airy. Davis takes this direction, removes most of the instruments, and plays up airy part of the sound. It works absolutely wonderfully. Her voice is perfectly suited to the song’s mood. The Reaper is well worth examining.
As an added bonus, Davis has included her reggae-tinged interpretation of Bob Marley’s Nice Time. It contrasts the rest of the album in pace, mood, and timing. It certainly shows that she is having fun with her music. She is obviously relaxed and confident and refrains from over-singing, over-thinking, and pretension throughout her entire album (and for that matter this song). However it’s not perfect—some songs are nice to listen to but not at all memorable (Stay and Jaded (Goodbye)). However, overall it’s a very good effort.
In the end, I’m impressed by Surrender Dorothy. There are some outstanding songs, some interesting covers, and a handful of songs that I enjoy. It’s not a perfect disc, but it is clear that Davis is talented and that she can continue to create excellent music on her own terms. If you’ve appreciated the singer-songwriter’s past efforts, wonder what she is doing now, or just generally enjoy talented female artists then I can’t recommend Surrender Dorothy enough—tiny flaws and all.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. The Letter
02. The Benefit
03. Create
04. Vision
05. Wide Open
06. Right There
07. Jaded (Goodbye)
08. Desert Rose (Higher Than a Lover)
09. The Reaper
10. Stay
11. Nice Time
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