Posted on: October 15, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Very few individuals would be able to get a member of the Goo Goo Dolls to be on their disc, but Zoe Scott is talented enough to have John Rzeznik (the lead singer of the band) accompany eir on this disc. The style of music that Scott creates on “Beautiful To Be Alive” is a brand of rock-influenced pop, in much of the same vein as artists like Kelly Clarkson and an updated Joan Osbourne. Regardless, a track like “Caves of Possibility” will get masses of followers to Scott’s cause, even before the guitar solo shreds everything up.

The slower style of “Beautiful To Be Alive” allows for listeners to hear that Scott is no one trick pony; the slinkier sound of this track is sufficiently different for individuals that might like more pop-focused tracks to appreciate Scott’s effort during this track. The guitar is again the focal part of the instrumentation on the track, recalling the instrumentation of Meredith Brook’s seminal “Bitch”. “Planet Love” blends the early nineties with the British invasion in regards to the arrangements present, while Scott’s vocals themselves take up a harder sound than during previous tracks. The song has a catchy chorus and should mark Scott’s next foray into radio fame. The guitars may not be the most cutting-edge and innovative that they have been on the disc, but they are perfectly serviceable and work well in context. For a better idea for how the guitars sound, locate the episode of Mr. Show that has the parody of the Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack; the two styles are very similar. The time signatures used during this track are impressive, as Scott pretty much goes quiet before the track kicks back in.

Each subsequent track on “Beautiful To Be Alive” provides listeners with a different way to understand Scott. There are two things that are maintained throughout the entirety of the disc, and those are the tendency to maintain a full guitar sound to each of the tracks on the disc, as well as providing simple vocal melodies that will get stuck into anyone that is listening in’s mind. Scott’s time at the top of the pop genre has not came yet, but the efforts put forth on “Beautiful To Be Alive” are solid enough to provide a foundation where ey can realize this in a short while, hopefully after the release of eir next full length album.

Top Tracks: Planet Love, Caves of Possibility

Rating: 6.5/10

Zoe Scott – Beautiful To Be Alive

Zoe Scott – Beautiful To Be Alive / 2006 Self / 16 Tracks / http://www.zoescott.com / Reviewed 21 March 2007
[JMcQ]

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