All it takes is 3 chords and a dream!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Review: Renee Mixon - Dance With Me


Renee Mixon – Dance With Me
2008, Renee Mixon


Rome, Georgia’s Renee Mixon signs honest, heart-on-your-sleeve story songs against the backdrop of subdued, Folk/Pop/Americana arrangements. Dance With Me is a remarkably consistent listen, with sound and quality not varying significantly throughout the album. When Mixon is at her best the results can be quite wonderful. Love Me For Me is an honest request for someone’s heart. It’s an amazing song that cuts to the heart of the matter without sounding trite or quaint. Dance With Me sweeps by on a memorable melody and a quiet sense of urgency that can’t be overlooked. Just Go chomps at the bit to break out into a big rock and roller and displays Mixon right on the edge of a different kind of energy than what she expends on the rest of Dance With Me. There are all sorts of wonderful tension and angst built up in this song. It’s released in a controlled fashion that leaves you wondering about where the rest will release. Who’s Right follows that inevitable blow up (although we don’t hear the blow-up). It’s a song about the politics of relationships both within and outside of the duo. Other highlights include In My Dream, I Hope It Was Worth It and You’re Still Here.

Mixon is hard to peg compared to other artists. There are shades of K.D. Lang or Dar Williams, but neither really describes the aura around Mixon. Dance With Me is all heart, lumps and all. The songs aren’t all pretty because they are a reflection of life as Mixon (presumably) sees it; but there’s not a dishonest or false note or word here. Any awkwardness or imperfection is simply the reflection of whatever Mixon saw or thought about at the time. A very strong debut.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Renee Mixon at http://www.reneemixon.com/. You can purchase a copy of Dance With Me at www.cdbaby.com/cd/mixon3.

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