Customer Reviews

Raindance

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Essra's voice keeps getting better, really. Different, yes, but better in terms of control, expressiveness of emotion, heartbreak, and ultimately joy. And then there are the songs. Essra had been writing furiously for years since her last commercially-released album, "E-Turn" (which I quite like by the way - Sure, it may be "new wave," or whatever you wish to classify it as, but again, Essra has always been able to write a great batch of songs, regardless of style.), and many of them turned up on "Raindance." In fact, one of these songs, entitled "Stronger Than the Wind," was recorded by Tina Turner, and Tina's got great taste. Listen intently to the song "It's History" and tell me honestly that it did not stir your emotions and your heart.

Essra Mohawk is probably one of the most obscure artists who should have made it big. Her first album in 1968 on Frank Zappa's Bizarre label "This is Sandy Hurvitz" is a collector's item than can bring as much as $70. With her milestone "Primordial Lovers" on Reprise, the self-titled Asylum album, and several independent releases, she has created a body of work that is original and energetic. Her voice is one of the most distinctive with a rasp like a female Rod Stewart or Kim Carnes. When she sings with emotion, you know she's been there. This CD is a welcome addition to her work. "Love Can't Live With Lies" is probably one of the finest tunes crafted in recent years, one of those mid-tempo classics that if Celine Dion recorded, it'd hit the charts. "Raindance" has a powerful intelligence and not only keeps your foot tapping but can take you away. "Summer of Love" is another of my favorites. Essra is one of th! ose artists I search out. Whenever I find a new recording, it's a great day! Buy it! -- Lee Armstrong

I do not own this cd, but heard the song It's History on launchast, and it is a very poignant and stirring song about the ravaging consequences of mankind's greed (anybody read "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss?). This song will make you stop and think (you should be already) about what us nasty humans do to the earth and fellow mankind. Essra also sang some School House Rock songs (thought the name was familiar!).

Raindance is a remarkable album. While maybe a bit more... subdued, for lack of a better word, than her previous works, it is nonetheless a work of art. Summer of Love is my favorite track.

As a relatively new fan, I had the chance to listen to all her music for the first time relatively close together. As I listened to a new album, my first thought was how versatile she is. I had recognized her talents right off the bat.

Her talent _is tremendous. She has been compared to so many artists- Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro... the list goes on and on, but this only proves one thing- Essra is Essra. One can't be a Joni Mitchell _and_ a Laura Nyro, _and_ a ...... And if she is and I am wrong, holy cow, what a combination! Reviewers are compelled to compare. It makes good copy. Essra is so diverse that she can't be pigeonholed; hence the numerous comparisons, in my opinion. In fact, Joni Mitchell once said that her song "Woodstock" was written with Essra's style in mind.

I was so impressed by Essra, I asked her for permission to create a web site for her, which she graciously agreed to. Please visit it.

Lastly, why did I give Raindance 4 stars? I'm comparing Essra to Essra. Her best is yet to come.

Pete Bremy

In 1995, after a decade of not commercially releasing any albums (though she did continue to write and record), Essra Mohawk reappeared on the independent Midwestern label, Schoolkids. Too bad this album didn't come out on a major label, with major level marketing, because this disc is tremendous in every sense of the word. First, Mohawk's writing chops have never been better, unlike many singer/songwriters who started during the sixties whose modern works stir quizzical gasps along the lines of, "What on Earth is he/she doing STILL making records on a bigtime label, and why on Earth are people buying them?" Not so with Essra. These are all fantastic songs with universal appeal, and speak for all of us, young and green or old and grey. Then, there's that eighth wonder of the world voice. It's so easy to fall in love with that voice. As an earlier reviewer suggested, please do yourself a favour and purchase RAINDANCE before they are gone for good.

Essra Mohawk is a very talented songwriter and singer, no question about that. A few of the records she made during the late sixties to mid seventies may even be regarded as obscure and forgotten classics; they are that good. At the same time, she's also one of those numerous artists who once came close to making it, but didn't, and as a result she's become a somewhat jagged and bitter pill. She'd rather blame the record companies, blame her musical peers who did make it, blame her three ex-husbands - basically blame everyone else except herself (Does heroin addiction ring a bell?) - as the forces that prevented her from becoming a star. Of course, now she's trying to get HER story out to the masses, through a tell-all book (which probably less people will buy than her records, which all sold terribly), through insane pleas to anyone who'll listen, through bitter songs about money getting in the way of love, and through bizarre chants. Too bad most of the people she's blaming for her failures (Zappa, Nyro, et al) are not alive to defend themselves.

Don't get me wrong. This is a nice album to have on disc, but it's very commercial and Essra's voice ain't as good as it once was. She put out two great records in the early seventies; the first being Primordial Lovers and the second being the selftitled Essra Mohawk. I believe they were both put out through the Warner Brothers family of labels. Where are they? Both get five stars a piece.

My admiration goes to Essra Mohawk for doing something different each time she makes a record (which isn't often enough). Although I think Primordial Lovers and its follow-up will remain my favourite albums, this one is very good too.

While her earliest material was experimental, rambling and almost free-form, on Raindance, she has composed shorter pop/rock songs, and very well, too. "Somebody Just Like You", "Long Bad Dream", and "Wrap it all Around" are some of her best songs ever. Her voice is very expressive, and Raindance is a very emotional performance from beginning to end. I would particularly have loved to hear some of these songs arranged with just Essra and her piano-playing, but the arrangements on this CD are good all the same.

One thing, I remember Essra when I was a teen in Visiting NYC/Greenwich Village. The Secret Diva had remained Secret too long. Pretty much as the world tried to forget Nansi Nevin (Sweet Water). Rain Dance is probably one of the Best produced and diverified CD's much needed in our time when everyone is doing candy rock hits. And the same concepts. I guess some folks can't handle alternating styles, but that is what true artistry is all about. The adventure contues thanks to Essra.

No, it's not fair to compare Essra to Laura Nyro as late as '95, when Raindance was released, because: 1) they never really sounded the same, and 2) they really didn't sound the same as their careers evolved. However, I think you should get all the facts straight and get familiar with Essra's entire career; not just this one album. Trust me. If you've never heard Primordial Lovers, or the album which followed it (which is really one of the missing classics of the 70's, you are really missing out. This really shouldn't be the venue of choice to come and insult an artist you are not familiar with.