Anne Weiss – Concrete World and the Lover’s Dream (CD)

“I Ain’t Got No Reason To Lie To You” is a track that showcases Weiss’ strength, putting her in a perfect position between a Sarah McLachlan and a Natalie Cole. The track, easily single quality, gets listeners interested in what is to come on “Concrete World and the Lover’s Dream”, the latest effort by Weiss. “I Ain’t Got No Reason” also feeds well into “The Song About The Affair That I Am Not Having”. “The Song” is vital to “Concrete World” because it puts the guitar track as a focal point of the track, rivaling the vocals for dominance. The bickering back and forth between the instrumental and vocal sides of Weiss’ works forces each element to step up its game to the point that what results on the album is the best possible music.

Each of the album’s 12 tracks could easily be on rotation on alternative rock stations, and unlike many other efforts in the same genre, the album gets stronger as it plays on. This is perfectly shown during “Concrete World”’s penultimate track, “Shadow of Doubt”. This is due to the fact that “Shadow of Doubt” is a track that will speak equally well to those just getting into alternative music as to those that have been listening in for decades; the composition created here by Weiss is just that impressive, linking together instrumental with vocal and atmospherical into something that is decidedly greater than the sum of its constituent parts.

The disc ends with “These Days”, a song that is stellar both in its role as a disc closer as well as a transition to parts unknown, possibly giving listeners clues to what path Weiss will ultimately take in regards to the follow up to “Concrete World”. Without a flaw, without a weak patch, what Anne Weiss does here during “Concrete World and the Lover’s Dream” is show to the world her vibrant soul and inimitable talent. Make it a point to pick up this and her earlier recordings, as well as make a sojourn to whatever venue that she may be playing in the months or years to come. Kudos, Weiss, for making a jaded reviewer smile.

Top Tracks: What’s Going On, Come On In My Kitchen

Rating: 8.5/10

Anne Weiss – Concrete World and the Lover’s Dream / 2008 Self / 12 Tracks / http://www.anneweiss.com /