It's been a long five years between releases, but Kim Richey has clearly spent the time wisely, perfecting these 10 new songs. She clearly enjoys working with different cowriters, since eight tunesmiths--including such contemporaries as Joan Osborne and Mindy Smith--collaborate with her on this superb set. Producer Giles Martin (George's son, producer of the Beatles' Love) injects a somewhat more pop-oriented approach that works wonderfully with this introspective and intricately crafted material. "Jack and Jill" colors in the missing backstory of the children's ditty with sumptuous yet frilly harpsichord, flute, kazoo, and whistling. The title track recalls a snappy Suzanne Vega, adding multi-instrumentalist Billy Mowbray's sax, mellotron, and vibes, while "Not a Love Like This," the Osborne co-write, brings reverbed guitar and a bit of retro to arguably the album's finest and most robust melody. "Pretty Picture," the only tune composed solely by the singer, is a tender, intimate love ballad sung with heartbreaking sensitivity. Richey is in sparkling voice throughout, sounding inspired by her band, the production, and especially the magnificent tunes. The laid-back, layered sound on "Another Day" and the sprightly "I Will Follow" perfectly capture the nuances of their lyrics with subtlety and class, two aspects of the singer's style that have never been compromised. There's not a weak track here, and the sharp sequencing makes this an album that ebbs and flows with Kim Richey's richly articulated vision. --Hal Horowitz
Album Description
Newly signed to Vanguard Records, Kim Richey is set to release her first collection of new music in five years on July 10th. Chinese Boxes was produced by Giles Martin and recorded in London at Eastcote Studios and Air Studios Lyndhurst. Giles Martin's most recent project was The Beatles "Love" soundtrack, which he collaborated on with his father, Sir George Martin. Chinese Boxes is a collection of 10 beautifully crafted soulful songs. The first single "Jack and Jill" (and lead track) gives the couple in the nursery rhyme a bit of a back-story - and the listener a hint of the discoveries to come. The title track tries to define a mysterious person before giving way to "Drift", a poignant love song (co-written with Mindy Smith). "The Absence of Your Company" showcases Richey's vocal vulnerability in a sparse instrumental setting while the cautionary "Another Day" highlights Kim's stunning sense of melody. The album-closing "Pretty Picture", is an intimate ballad that speaks honestly of true love.
Fans and critics alike have long awaited new music from the critically appraised singer/songwriter, whose other albums include Kim Richey (1995), Bitter Sweet (1997), Glimmer (1999), Rise (2002), and The Collection (2004).
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