Mimi Cross, “I Slept…” (3.5/5)

Let’s begin by acknowledging the fact that I rarely find myself drawn into the talents of a female vocalist; my tastes tend to lean toward a grittier sound. Even still, Mimi Cross’s crooning voice is hard to look over. Marked with soft notes and amazing pitch, Cross exhibits a nearly unclassifiable flair by blending smooth jazz with hints of folk and adult alternative sounds.

The highlight on the album presents itself in the first song, a cover of George Harrison’s “Dark Horse.” On this track, Mimi Cross’s breathy vocals blend with building, mellow guitars and ultimately reveal the emotional range of Cross’s performance abilities. As the album progresses, Cross holds moments of lyrical bliss like on the song “Damage Control” when she sings, “You will wear a suit of armor / I will keep a secret up my sleeve / Suspicion is a crawling spider / Oh what a lovely web we weave.” Still, other songs such as “Cool Rain” appear to be more generic rather than progressive. Although they are still beautiful in their own way, I can’t help but naturally imagine some of the tracks playing in the background of late 1990’s television dramas like Dawson’s Creek.

Because many of the tracks seem to blend together and sound similar, it is apparent that Mimi Cross still has some development to work on, but if the golden tracks like “Satisfied Life” are any indication, she has the potential to hone her notable talent into something truly original. For fans of Alanis Morissette or even Norah Jones, Mimi Cross provides a sweet, emotional record.

Favorite Track: Satisfied Life



Reviewed By: Kate