Toby Lightman – Bird on a Wire

Artist: Toby Lightman

Title: Bird on a Wire

Label: Atlantic

Rating: 5/10

FILE UNDER: Same old Lightman.

CORPORATE LINE: There’s a music biz truism that says an artist has her whole life to write her first album and six months to write her second. What that statement fails to take into account are maturation and inspiration–two elements present in abundance throughout Bird On A Wire, the surprising second album from New York-based writer/artist Toby Lightman. With 13 songs running the gamut from the Rufus-style funk-pop of “Slipping” to the moving lullaby “Better” and the modern-day torch song “Weight of the World”, the album documents an uncommonly gifted young artist in the act of becoming fully herself.

THE GOOD:
“My Sweet Song” – Lightman goes the route of being a jazz singer and finally she hits her stride. Lightman’s voice is best when she is more Norah Jones than Fiona Apple and gives us her vulnerability.
“Alone” – Surprisingly, the best songs come late in the album. Lightman gives her soul and finally sounds passionate.

THE AVERAGE:
“Don’t Wake Me” – Full of regurgitated lyrics and the typical bluesy chorus.
“Don’t Le Go” – Mundane. The words mean nothing, the hook is missing in action, and any inspiration didn’t make its way to this song.
“Overflowing” – A fun beat that bounces along—too bad the lyrics are lacking substance.
“Slipping” – Even the one track where Lightman sounds different and goes from sounding like Fiona Apple to an R&B diva lacks personality.

THE BAD:
Nothing.

FRANKLY: Toby Lightman is a double-edged sword. She has a great voice but sounds like Fiona Apple. Secondly, she’s not nearly as good a songwriter as Apple. Certainly there are a million people out there who wish they could sing half as good as Lightman—but without great songs you’ll go nowhere.

+ Rae Gun