Search - Leonardo's Bride :: Open Seasame

Haunting soft rock that simply grows on you ...

Rob. Charlton | Elanora Heights, NSW Australia | 06/14/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Open Sesame" is, I believe, the second album from this Australian group. It is mostly melodic, haunting soft rock with intelligent, often intense, lyrics featuring singer Abbie Dobson's unusual, slightly breathy voice. The opening track, "Everybody Wants to Take You Home" is as good a pop song as I've heard in years. The album grows on you with every playing. The songs range from the simply pretty to some upbeat tracks like "Sonic", and the album makes extensive use of strings (violins and cello especially) to create a lovely, lush sound.One criticism - the "bonus" CD contains remixes of 4 tracks from this album, plus the group's previous hit "Even When I'm Sleeping". The remixes seem like the worst excesses of some record company producer, bent on re-making Leonardo's Bride into a dance group. It doesn't work - the remixes are simply horrible. My suggestion - throw the "bonus" CD in the rubbish, and simply enjoy the "Open Sesame" for what it is - a really beautiful, poignant and haunting work."