CORPORATE LINE: Happenstance, produced by John Alagia (John Mayer, Dave Matthews etc.), is a collection of songs inspired by my obsessions, often love related, but not always. It’s about the battle between chance circumstances and the belief that everything happens for a reason. The title and the back cover addition of ‘the never can be’ suggest that I’m not really endorsing chance, but, in fact insisting that there must be a reason for repeated broken hearts – perhaps a promise of a better situation, learning experience, the greater love etc. It’s a circular argument… and it’s merely a matter of ‘happenstance’ that the title is what it is anyway. Without the hopefulness of reason, how could anyone weather the highs and lows of relationships and this delightful junk called love.
Look to the second album for a more cynical approach in which it all goes to hell and nothing makes sense and chance is winning…
THE GREAT:
“Be Be Your Love” – Musically intoxicating. If this song gets out to the masses we’ll have a brand-spanking new female star on our hands.
“I’ll Find A Way” – The easier Yamagata takes it the better she is at making you believe everything she has to say. “I’ll Find A Way” has soul and you feel like you’ve been there before.
“1963” – Just listen.
THE AVERAGE:
Worn Me Down” – Not bad, not great and yet close to stealing your heart. Yamagata comes so close so many times to offering something very good—so close but so far.
THE BAD:
“Letter Read” – Takes forever to get to the chorus and never sells it. The chorus and beats are awkward and feel like two songs glued together.
“Even So” and “I Want You” – Yuck. Yamagata does some weird thing with her vocals that is pure torture.
FRANKLY: Rachael Yamagata could be sensational and it’s unfortunate that she isn’t more consistent. Some of the songs on Happenstance score huge while others tail off. Watch out—when Yamagata hits her stride it’s going to be great.
+ Rae Gun
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