Customer Reviews

Unbound

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

 

 

As a fan of both Cindy Bullens and Wendy Waldman for over 30 years, I could never understand why neither of these women were able to break through to the top level of super-stardom. Both consummate singer/songwriters, they have it all....great lyrics, smart arrangements, stunning vocals. I guess some things just aren't meant to be...or meant to be understood.
This could all change, though, with UNBOUND, their debut release with their new group, The Refugees. Along with Deborah Holland, the pair have formed a sort of distaff CSN, and the results are magical. We're talking A game across the board...lyrics, harmonies, instrumentation, production, the works!
Things start strongly with the lilting title track. A rollicking slice of bluegrass heaven, the arrangement is crisp and clean, each instrument shining in it's own light, cushioning the others in a warm and well-blended embrace. The vocals are just as strong, with each of the ladies taking lead on a verse, only to come together in perfect unison on the chorus. THIS is what real singing's all about!
Next up is "Jellico Highway." Still full of the pain and hurt that graced the original version (on Bullens' 2005 DREAM #29), the arrangement's been fleshed out a bit more, making everything a little more full-bodied. The swirling, angelic backing vocals also add a pinch of something extra, sort of along the lines of the Eagles at their best. Very nice.
The added vocal prowess also bolsters the re-recording of Waldman's "Fishin' In The Dark" (taken from 2006's excellent MY TIME IN THE DESERT). The track has an earthier, more sensual vibe this time around, but there's also a more playful element, creating a groove that is undeniable. One of a number of tracks here that radio would be wise to jump on!
Not knowing Holland as well as her two bandmates, I wasn't quite sure what she would bring to the group, but the reworking of her hit (with Animal Logic) "(There's A) Spy In The House Of Love" is lovely. Picture an Emmylou Harris/June Carter Cash feel, all earnest and steely and REAL, and you have this cut. Vocally, one of UNBOUND's most stunning moments.
"You Plant Your Fields" (also from MY TIME...) is probably the cut closest to it's original version, with some additional mandolin and backing vocals tacked on, but it's the lyrics that hit you here... from the opening lines of "My father said/Some things you learn/By only doing/When it comes your turn", this is Wendy Waldman at her most poetic.
Next up is UNBOUND's second new cut, the rockin' "Stickin' With My Baby's Love." All bluesy, hot and heavy, this song is fun from start to finish. My favorite part? Bullens' lines "I might strut/Show some skin/If there's a little game going, babe/Count me in/And if by chance/I brush your arm, yeah/Well, now, it's nothing personal/I don't mean no harm." This is a sound the Refugees HAVE to continue to explore on any and all future releases! My absolute favorite cut!
It would be tough to top the original version of "I Gotta Believe In Something" from Bullens' 1999 classic SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH", but the group gives it a helluva shot! All acoustic guitar, harmonica and picture perfect harmonies, this achingly beautiful ode to hanging on and moving forward is songwriting at it's best. Thank you, Cindy, for this masterpiece!
Next we have Holland's "The Violin Song", which, I'm sad to say, is the disc's only real klunker. I'm all for a dose of humor every once in a while ~ it's one of the things I love about, say, John Hiatt or Aimee Mann! ~ but this song's just trying too hard. Consequently, it's all just a tad bit too....precious and calculated.
Things rebound 110% with our third new cut, the Bullens/Waldman-penned "All My Angels." There's such power in the track's simplicity....the instrumentation is minimal, the vocals up front and strong (I particularly like Waldman's little Rickie Lee Jones-esque tag at the end!). In a just world, this track would be well on it's way to being an across the board, multi-format smash.
Bullens' "Box Of Broken Hearts" (also from DREAM #29) also benefits from the added vocal punch. Bullens' lead vocal is stellar, but it's Waldman's and Holland's backing vocals, snaking in and out of both the choruses and verses, that add an extra kick. Proof positive that these women were meant to sing together!
The album closes with a new song and a classic. "On My Way" has a nice, airy folk feel to it. Holland's lead vocal is sweet and assured, with backing harmonies that both support and enhance. Toss in clever lyrics and you have a real winner. Yet another cut that hints at the good things yet to come from the Refugees!
And then there's "Save The Best For Last." Though Waldman co-wrote this mega-gem, most people identify it as a Vanessa Williams hit. So how to make it their own? By stripping it down and essentially doing it a cappella. Bullens', Holland's and Waldman's voices blend beautifully, adding a whole other dimension to this timeless tune. Already a classic, this version could help the song find a whole new audiance. It certainly deserves it.
So...where do the Refugees go from here? Busy solo careers and personal lives not withstanding, we can only hope this isn't a one-shot deal. I would love to see the band concentrate on more new original material (though Bullens' "Sensible Shoes" and "Water On The Moon" and Waldman's "The Renegade Side", "Takin' Stitches Out" and "The Lucky One" seem like naturals to redo!), making this more of a BAND, versus three solo acts that've united, albeit brilliantly. Until then, free yourself...and be UNBOUND! (As with all my reviews, I am docking the disc half a star for not including the lyrics).

The warmth and comfort that is conveyed from this collection of songs reflects the talents, sophistication and spirit of the performers. This is a real tight group where the individuals work in what appears, an effortless fashion, to create a wonderful effect on each of the songs. The arrangements are varied through the creative use of a few instruments as well as interesting harmonies. The songs display the mature songwriting talents of the accomplished members. There are no exceptional individual standouts because the entire collection is that strong. Through the course of listening to this music I frequently find myself smiling; a habit that has become almost lost to me over the years. I think mature music fans will appreciate this collection and reach for it often when they need to refresh their optimism in the human spirit.

Rufugees is a delightful project bringing three strong solo performers to a united voice. Wendy Waldman produced the disc along with Deborah Holland & Cindy Bullens. Their vocal blend is seamless, each giving their best. My two favorites include Cindy Bullens' "Jellico Highway" with its chords creating a tale of regret and suspense, "Somewhere in eastern Kentucky with a whole lot of time left to kill, I decided to get off the interstate, drive up on into the hills." "I like to flirt, I like to tease, I like to bring those boys right to their knees," begins the delightful "Stickin' With My Baby's Love." Deborah Holland's "(There's A) Spy in the House of Love" is a bittersweet ballad with Waldman-Bullens harmonies painting a tight sonic background. Deborah Holland's sense of humor that was front & center in her CD Bad Girl Once... brings out smiles as her child doesn't want to practice "The Violin." Wendy sings on "All My Angels," a tender tearjerker. Wendy Waldman's "Save the Best for Last" that was on her "My Time in the Desert" CD closes the set. There's not a weak moment on the disc. The music is acoustic and tugs on the emotions. The disc is on "Wabuho" Records that sounds like Waldman-Bullens-Holland. Enjoy!

I've loved Cindy Bullens since "Desire Wire," which I still think is her best album. I've also loved Wendy Waldman since "Love Has Got Me," although that's not my favorite album of hers. So I had to buy this one just to give them my support.

All I can say about it is that it's okay. A few songs, "Jellico Highway," "Spy in the House of Love," "I Gotta Believe in Something" and "Box of Broken Hearts," faintly echo Bullens's charmingly naive garage-band rock and roll from 25-30 years ago, but they're just too tame. It's like Eric Clapton shedding his power chords, succumbing to his grief and writing "No Tears in Heaven"... except unlike Clapton, this band's songwriting isn't strong enough to carry the polite, understated productions.

It's certainly improved over Bullens's standard, of course. No more stooopid lyrics like "I'm down on my knees, knee deep in love," or "Losing your lover was the worst I could have done." But she's lost touch with rock and roll. The one "Rolling Stones-type rocker" that she faithfully rewards us with on every album, as another fan pointed out--"High School History," "Praise the Night," "Sensible Shoes"--is not to be found anywhere on this album.

As a non-career musician (bass guitar) I was offended by "The Violin Song," an obviously sincere and personal diatribe against parents who sign up their hapless children for lessons on the "wrong" instrument. Music is music, discipline is one of the first things to be learned, the skills easily transfer from one instrument to another, and learning to play chamber music at nine will make you a better rock'n'roller than picking up a guitar at sixteen. The best bass guitarist I know started out on the cello.

Waldman is credited with backup vocals and much of the songwriting, but I can't hear that exquisite nasal register on any of these tunes. Bassist Deborah Holland is a music scholar who worked with Stewart Copeland and Stanley Clarke in the cerebrally oriented band Animal Logic. Her musicologist's input, such as accordion and dulcimer accompaniment, succeeds in giving some of the songs a down-home feel. But on the whole, her tight academic perspective may be one of the influences that keeps the collection from ever breaking loose.

Bullens's singing makes this a Cindy Bullens album, although she shares writing credit on less than half the tracks. It's competently written and produced, and I never lunged for the "fast forward" button. But it ain't rock and roll, and that's the only thing Bullens and Waldman excel at. I hope these women have exorcised their demons so they'll find a groove, take some risks, and come back rockin' next time--or at least loosen up in whatever genre they choose to tackle next.

I saw the Refugees last night in Anchorage. It was almost like seeing two concerts. It opened well, will Cindy bringing some pretty good energy. The end was also good with shades of good Poco and Unbound from their album, really nicely done, all 3 talented. But geez don't go to see them unless you like to listen to endless pointless jabbering. Perhaps they did not have enough material they felt comfortable playing, but they kept going into we are old, worn out... and somehow they thought it was humorous. The truth be known it was boring and the crowd thought it was tired, although it didn't seem to stop them from their blather. The truth be known if they spent the time they spent talking about getting old on exercise machines or doing yoga they would help their health and not torture their audiences. I have been to hundreds of concerts and have seen nothing like that. You have been given a heads up!

Wendy Waldman, Deborah Holland & Cindy Bullens have probably got close to a century of accumulated time in the music industry. Individually, they've received acclaim and Grammy nominations.

Collectively, these three women will rock your world. Their harmonies are flawless. Their personalities show through in the music in ways that will make you laugh, shake your head, and for some men--break out in a bit of a sweat. The music's just as varied as the emotions I've listed. You've got a bouncy cover of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Fishin' in the Dark." "The Violin Song" will have you laughing and recalling those lessons your parents stuck you with you'd rather not have endured. "Jellico Highway" will take you on a long, lonely stretch of TN-KY. And the finale, "Save the Best for Last" will make you wonder why you ever listened to the Top 40 version.

If you enjoy tight harmonies, interesting lyrics with a lot of heart, and girl groups, this is definitely a CD you are going to want to have in your collection. I guarantee you will be stamping the immigration papers of these refugees if you listen to any of the samples.

Rebecca Kyle, November 2009