Music CD's
"Luminous"
by Luminous
Finally, a music act that sounds as good as its name. Comprised of Paul Robb and singer Barbara Cohen, the duo formerly known as Brother Sun Sister Moon, Luminous takes elements of electronic, soul, folk, pop and rock music and turns them into brilliant songs on its new, self-titled album.
The disc begins with a dramatic, orchestral explosion of sorts titled “Song My.” Judging from the title, one would assume that the song has been recorded backward. Fortunately, Cohen is one of those vocalists who could sing about the contents of a phone book and still capture the listener’s attention -- which is exactly what she does on this track.
Cohen’s vocals are enhanced by Robb’s layered soundscapes, especially on the album’s most accessible track, “Hummingbirds.” The lyrics evoke an exotic locale while the instrumentation, with its Middle Eastern flair, has the feel of a carnival.
“Portlandtown,” a song about a small-town woman confined by her society, features Cohen singing a mournful chorus (“I’ll never say what you want to hear/I’ll never be what you want me to be/the only things I held dear/were taken away from me") with an air of defiance. It's the highlight of Luminous and suggests even greater things to come from the duo.
