Not In Vain - Raven Quinn Rocks It Again
It has been a while since I have talked about music. So today I'll give a few thoughts on an album I picked up in October.
Raven Quinn’s second album, “Not In Vain” has been out since
October 7th. I bought it when
it was released and just now getting around to sharing my thoughts.
On this album the songwriting is even stronger than on Quinn’s
debut. The songs have a mix of rock,
goth, alternative and even bluesy riffs and pop hooks. All of this is put together seamlessly and
has a very refreshing sound yet plays familiar genres and styles. The songwriting and arrangements are made
even stronger with the lyrics that are easily recognizable and have a depth to
them that too often is missing in some music today.
Raven’s voice is simply fantastic. She has a very good range and knows when to
use it to make the song stronger without showing off. I don’t know if the vocal strength I am
hearing on this album is due to more practice, a vocal coach or the “first
album jitters” have gone. In any case
her vocals have improved over the last effort.
That is no small feat, since the debut had wonderful vocal work. Overall this album is a nice step forward for
Quinn.
The album kicks off with two tracks, Undone (Prelude) &
Not In Vain that were released a few
months prior to the album as a single. These
tracks make a very natural transition from the 1st album to this
one. By this I mean that the song style
is similar to the feel of the debut but has a more mature sound. Killer music and top notch vocals to kick of
the disk. There isn’t a track I dislike
but Waking Dream stands out for me because of the generally stripped down
music and emotional vocals that fit so well with the lyrics.
This is how rock has grown up but stays edgy. Combine the styles and influences you love
into your own voice with good lyrics.
The only thing I can think of that is even remotely holding
Raven Quinn back is the lack of a full time band. From what I can tell the killer
album utilizes studio musicians. This is
hardly a bad thing since studio musicians are highly talented and Quinn has
obviously gotten top caliber people working with her. A full band would help only in the fact that
by playing and writing with a band that has a clear songwriting leader can lead
to an explosion of ideas and an even tighter sound. That being said it is by no means a deal
breaker for Quinn, it could only possibly make her musical journey a bit
smoother.
This album is definitely in regular rotation for me. You can pick up Not In Vain by Raven Quinn on Amazon and iTunes.
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