Avalon

Adam is a crisp-voiced singer/songwriter who creates a unique atmosphere full of the sound of "loving women" in a piano-driven, folksy new age environment. She makes the unique choice of including several piano instrumentals among numerous vocals, a brilliant move because sweeping little dramatic pieces like the haunting "Eyrie" and the lively, optimistic "Waves" are far more engaging than the well intentioned but not always engaging vocal pieces. "Waves," punctuated with orchestral swells and percussive violin harmonies by Barbara Higbie, ranks up with any Suzanne Ciani or David Lanz piece as a potential new age classic. Typical of the vocal tunes are "I'll Be Right Over," which is a solid showcase for Adam's solid emotional range but kind of static musically and hardly original lyrically. "A Woman's Work Is Never Done" has more interesting lyrics about the roles of women in the modern age, but the melody isn't extremely compelling. Part of Adams' flaw is that while her voice is likeable and pretty, her delivery is straightforward to the point of being almost stiff; she delivers "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" kindly and competently, but without much flair. Her piano playing has that sorely needed uniqueness and she'd be wise to do more instrumentals in the future, perhaps reversing the vocal-instrumental balance.