Gigi Denisco – Too Close For Comfort / 2005 Self / 9 Tracks / http://www.gigidenisco.com / Reviewed 28 December 2006

The first thing that this album reminds me of after putting on “Pony Ride” is The Rembrandts, which the guitar-led instrumentation reminds me of. Soon after, however, one can hear a lot of Melissa Etheridge in the vocals that issue forth. The music is at a level that individuals can conceivably hear it on a radio station, but there is little present during these early tracks that would get individuals interested in Denisco. The tracks are not bad in the least, but there are very few in the way of hooks that will keep individuals listening in if they put the disc in from the start. The anemic tempo of tracks like “Your Letter” does not help things in the least.

For individuals that are looking for the next adult contemporary act, Denisco may be able to work in that placement. However, as the next big pop star, one will have to look elsewhere. The tracks on “Too Close For Comfort” all work together in the creation of a disc-long narrative. Whether individuals will be able to get through all 9 of these tracks and complete the narrative is a question that is up for discussion. If a different producer was given the reigns for the next Denisco album, there is a good chance that Gigi would be sailing high, providing a challenge to all of the other individuals that are trying to break it big in this genre.

As it is, this album should be alongside the work of singers like Leah Zicari, which means that the music and vocals are solid but just lack the spark necessary to push Denisco to the next level. Search out this album only if one plans on going and charting Denisco’s success in the next few years. While the tracks are average, the lack of the necessary spark is what holds Denisco back from the big time. Individuals that miss the days of Joan Crawford and Melissa Etheridge may just have to pick up this album, but one has to wonder why they would not just pick up the original artists’ work instead of trying a previously untested commodity. Still, Denisco has talent and that is something that cannot reasonably be challenged; the output of “Too Close For Comfort” just does not show that talent in a fitting way. Perhaps on a new album, but this album is something that can safely be avoided for the time being.

Top Tracks: All Night, Walkin’ A Line

Rating: 4.2/10

[JMcQ]