At least a thousand words come to mind...
by Moody
Calling an album beautiful, soft, mysterious, powerful, haunting is like calling the sky dark, stormy, wind-torn, roiled, looming: such descriptions, however colorful, fail to convey the whole of the real, immediate experience. When the subject is Aiko Shimada's music, a reviewer must take especial care not to obscure her work with broad or vague descriptions, however apt they may prove themselves to be.
Like Hannah, Shimada's sixth solo work, is an album of seasons, of moods, of pondering emotions and the interplay of distance and time. her voice is supple and emotive, the images she employs, like her musical arrangements, are often deceptively simple. It seems that the more one listens, the more each melody and phrase, unpacks itself, expresses new relationships between all the parts, and forms new ties with the listener.
Flugelhorn, upright bass, drums, and guitar are Shimada's core instruments, as jazz and folk are her strongest influences. These ingredients she blends together expertly with the sensibility of a master chef, adding thoughtful, honest, perceptive lyrics in just the right measure, producing a feast for lovers of music.
Cycle through all the samples here and see if you don't find yourself hungry to devour it all.
Like Hannah is one of those rare gems, one of those perfect dishes, one of those amazing finds that comes along only rarely. No review will fully do it justice. Much the same could be said of her other works.
