Search - 8½ Souvenirs :: Souvonica

Great followup! I want more!

M. Sims | NYC | 08/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After three years of jumping from HAPPY FEET to TWISTED, SOUVONICA remains an incredible collection of music that shows a higher-production standard than HAPPY although it somehow loses a bit of the "fresh edge". Still, every track has me tapping my toes and snapping my fingers. This seems to be a more even, more uniform-in-quality collection of songs. Perhaps not as fresh or fun as the best of HAPPY, but it also lacks HAPPY's slow points or dragging songs. A great collection that I wish was not out-of-print."

Have a blast at Club Souvenir with Souvonica!

Daniel J. Hamlow | Narita, Japan | 06/19/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"OK, ladies and germs. Welcome to Club Souvenir, Paris's foremost cafe. We got a real swell show for you tonight, so get into dance gear, or sit back and have drinks, because this is likely to be an all-nighter.Our band tonight is 8-1/2 Souvenirs, and they'll be playing songs from their Souvonica album. Remember Happy Feet? Well, they're still happy, and so will your feet when this party's done.To give you a preview, their set will consist of swing, upbeat jazz and accordion-backed songs, like "Off White." If you want to dance, this is where to warm up. Then go on to "Cognac" with white keys that dance in one place and pound in other places, accompanied by quick pace rhythm guitar. And then to the title track with some Italian vocals."Tango Lunatico" features Juliana Sheffield's haunting vocals and sounds nothing like a tango. Keep listening for her, folks. This lady's gives this dimly lit club its atmosphere.How low can you go? Find out with "Paris," which gets a little funky with lower octave tickling of those ivories.Vocalist Kelly Willis (someone tell me if she's that country singer?) sings in "Absentee Rag" and I'm reminded of something out of a 1940's or 1950's Hollywood musical."Pass' Temp" features bandmember Olivier Giraud on vocals and this accordion-backed number could belong at home on Happy Feet, as a twin of "No Lo Visto."If you want a breather, they'll play "Amarcord," a nice romantic number, which will take you back a French provincial village or a ride in a horse and carriage down the cobblestone streets of Paris or some other city. Think of that movie Mon Oncle. And yes, Miss Juliana Sheffield will ride with you with those vocals of hers. She's a charmer, I tell ya.Things'll get more floor-worthy with "Shut The Door." It's about boy and girl sitting down in a cafe like this one, maybe, getting acquainted. Maybe some of you couples are in the audience. Dig that chorus, "I want to be in Paris, the city of lights and love.""Serpent Charmer" is an accordion and piano number that'll close this set unless you want the band to do encores, which they'll happy to do.OK, enough yammering from me. Now let's get this party started."

81/2 are the jivin'ist gypsies around!

Daniel J. Hamlow | 08/28/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well written and well performed, this band is smooth like silk. Their music creates an atmosphere of its own. I liked Souvonica even better than I did Happy Feet, and I adored Happy Feet! 81/2 are the jivin'ist gypsies around!"