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Maria McKee
Life Is
Sweet, Geffen CD GEFD-24819, 1996 (50:38)
Passionate vocals
I've been stalking Maria McKee since her Lone Justice
days, but our relationship really heated up after I heard
her self-titled solo debut back in 1989. To promote the
record, she made an appearance on David Sanborn's "Night
Music" and performed "Breathe" accompanied by Bruce Brody on
piano, Don Alias on field drum and someone on cello, I think
(you can't blame for missing the cellist can you?). It
knocked me out. The passion, the control, the power, the
emotion. I set up a small Maria shrine in my apartment and
listened to no one else for awhile. Of course, it was too
good to last. By the time she released her second solo
record, You Gotta Sin To Get Saved, I'd already started
seeing other people, and she had stopped returning my phone
calls. Call it sour grapes if you want, but I couldn't be
bothered with it at all.
But old flames have a way of smoldering long after you
think they're out. So when I heard that she was back with
Life Is Sweet, I picked up the phone and ordered the CD.
Ahhh. That voice. Just like the old days. All breath one
moment, gasping cry the next. Literally sends shivers down
my spine.
Sounds like she's bought a few guitars since the last
time we were together. And she and co-producer Bruce Brody
(who is this guy, her boyfriend, or what?) have learned a
studio trick or two. Those gorgeous pipes (mmmmm...) now
share center stage with crunchy Marshalls, more cellos, and
a host of patented George Martin/Angelo Badalamenti
multi-track effects. It's all put down quite beautifully, a
gilt frame for her velvet throat.
I still rarely have any idea what she's singing about,
but I'm pretty sure that her life (especially her love life)
is about four thousand times more complex than mine.
Whatever's driving her to write and sing and play as she
does is fine by me, though. I don't tire of it. She still
sparkles through. This isn't Lone Justice, but it is Maria
McKee. - Jason Staczek
production notes & song titles
Maria McKee, vocals, guitars; Bruce Brody, Hammond organ,
piano, Moog synthesizer; David Nolte, bass; Ric Kavin,
drums, percussion; Susan Otten, vocals, percussion.
Produced by Maria McKee, Bruce Brody and Mark Freegard;
engineered by Mark Freegard; mixed by Mark, Maria and Bruce;
mastered by Bob Ludwig.
Scarlover | This Perfect Dress | Absolutely Barking
Stars | I'm Not Listening | Everybody | Smarter | What Else
You Wanna Know | I'm Awake | Human | Carried | Life Is
Sweet | Afterlife
of related interest If you like Maria,
you'll probably dig Patti. But you already own this one,
don't you?
Patti Smith, Horses,
BMG/Arista CD 7822 83624, 1975
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