On her debut recording Murmurs, Okinawa-born singer Caroline Lufkin has, and features, a voice which a British critic would likely characterize as twee -- that is, a sweet, choirgirl voice which is decidedly on the ethereal end of the vocal spectrum. Especially on the two pieces which have been released as singles ("Sunrise" and "Where's My Love"), the achingly pure vocal renditions and precious lyrics might remind listeners (some perhaps uncomfortably) of an alternate theme from The Little Mermaid or the equivalent Disney/DreamWorks production. (In defense of the two songs, they are both gorgeous things of their kind and would make damn fine theme music for any such movie.) At times, Caroline's otherworldly purity brings to mind Minnie Riperton (think "Loving You"). (And no, Caroline doesn't appear to have a five-octave range like Riperton, but she has a striking voice nonetheless.) However, on a piece such as "I'll Leave My Heart Behind," Caroline uncorks a bit of pop diva passion, suggesting a dimension to her abilities which she is perhaps keeping under wraps. Another piece, "Everylittlething," is more eccentric, both melodically and lyrically, than anything else on Murmurs, with thicker, more aggressive beats, and Caroline's sultry vocal whispers point her in yet another, more emotionally ambiguous direction, perhaps in the vein of Björk. It could even be argued that the best songs on the program are three quiet little gems ("Bicycle," "Pink and Black" and "Drove Me to the Wall") that don't seem to strive for any effect at all but just carve out their own graceful little space. Norwegian producer Andreas Bjørck controls the beats, and his muted techno enhancements throughout are definitely a plus, as they temper Caroline's sugary sweetness on the more romantic material and give other pieces a touch of mystery. With success in the world of pop music often depending more on chance and connections than ability, Caroline's future is far from assured, but given the right material and continued sympathetic production, she certainly demonstrates talent enough to attract a substantial fan base. ~ Bill Tilland, All Music Guide
Tracks
Track Title
Composers
Performers
Time
Bicycle
Caroline
Caroline
(3:46)
Pink & Black
Caroline
Caroline
(4:41)
Sunrise
Caroline
Caroline
(4:02)
Where's My Love
Caroline
Caroline
(4:22)
Everylittlething
Caroline
Caroline
(3:19)
All I Need
Caroline
Caroline
(3:20)
Drove Me to the Wall
Caroline
Caroline
(3:50)
I'll Leave My Heart Behind
Caroline
Caroline
(4:22)
Winter
Caroline
Caroline
(4:48)
Credits
Daniel Rosenboom (Performer), Makoto Totani (Guitar), Jeremy DeVine (Design), Tomoji Sogawa (Multi Instruments), Keita Tachizawa (Photography), Masahiko Sato (Engineer), Andreas Bjørck (Performer), Jason Greenberg (Producer), Makoto Totani (Performer), Andreas Bjørck (String Arrangements), Tarik Monsanto (Mixing), Jason Greenberg (Programming), Andreas Bjørck (Producer), Caroline (Producer), Jeffrey Lufkin (Performer), Denis Blackham (Mastering), Jason Greenberg (Mixing), Caroline (Arranger), Wataru_Pop (Mixing), Jeremy DeVine (Layout Design), Tomoji Sogawa (Programming), Jason Greenberg (Performer), Tomoji Sogawa (Arranger), Andreas Bjørck (Mixing), Andreas Bjørck (Programming), Jeffrey Lufkin (Programming), Jason Greenberg (Arranger), Daniel Rosenboom (Trumpet), Andreas Bjørck (Arranger), Tomoji Sogawa (Performer), Jeffrey Lufkin (Producer), Tomoji Sogawa (Producer)
The alternative pop duo the Murmurs comprised singers/songwriters Leisha Hailey and Heather Grody, who began performing together in 1991 while both were students at New York City's American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Debuting with the self-released Who Are We, the Murmurs quickly attracted a cult following on the East Village club circuit, signing to MCA in 1994 and debuting with a self-titled LP which spawned the novelty hit "You Suck." With the release of 1997's Pristine Smut, the formerly acoustic duo added bassist Sheri Ozeki and drummer Sherri Solinger; Blender followed a year later. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
