Regular Columnists

Artist: Rebekah Jordan
Album: "The Trouble With Fiction"
CD Review: Genre: Alternative R&B
Sounds Like: Wayna
Technical Grade: 9
Production/Musicianship Grade: 10
Commercial Value: 9
Overall Talent Level: 10
Songwriting Skills: 10
Performance Skill: 10
Best Songs: The Art Of Losing, Lovely Life, Happy, Dreams
Weakness: ?
CD Review: Rebekah Jordan, a singer/songwriter from Cleveland, Ohio, sent me a 6 song EP that captures and reflects her diverse interest in music. Though she modestly refers to herself as a "budding" songwriter, my industry ears must refute that. She is on the verge of becoming a "bidding" songwriter - as in having people bid for her songwriting services.

Actually, her modesty is both rare and refreshing. American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, performed one of Rebekah's songs ("Beautiful Disaster") on her first album, AND as a live recording on her sophomore release, "Breakaway." I'm sure she didn't think of her talent as "budding." One listen to this masterpiece of an EP, and you won't either.

Rebekah, who also produced the entire CD, vocally executes the songs on this project with unyielding emotion without sacrificing technical precision. Her voice keeps you in a state of suspended animation as she delivers poignant stories, heartfelt lyrics, and subtle intensity that engages your emotions. Her most commercial song, "The Art Of Losing," exhibits all of these qualities with an almost Sade/Sting-like feel that's soothing and stimulating. Of course, she can also perform the typical, "it's-over-and-I'm-glad-of-it" type of song, but she does it her way, as evidenced on "Lovely Life," where she states:

Verse 1:

"This aint no angry love song, blaming you for what went wrong
It is what it is and wasn't now it's over out and done...
So save those crocodile tears and baby let's get honest here
we were not forever but we sure had some fun...."

That's honest and respectul. Even though Rebekah has appeared in such films as "Liberty Heights," and "Latter Days," it's my sincere hope that she uses her media activities to bolster her position as a music artist. Once industry professionals hear the scintillating vocal performance on her cover of the Stevie Nicks classic, "Dreams," I'm sure they will convince her that she can (and should) do both.

Perhaps the trouble with fiction is that when you are as talented as Rebekah, non-fiction is a more pleasurable alternative.

Advice: Pursue a publishing deal while you promote your indie project. You have the credits (and the talent). In the interim, write and record more material for a complete album that you can fully exploit and use to leverage your position as a recording artist.

www.rebekahjordanmusic.com