Monica Richards- The Strange Familiar

Artist: Monica Richards

CD title: The Strange Familiar

Reviewer: Jules Cohen

Website: http://www.monicarichards.com/

Date: 6-6-11

With Monica's vast history of musical chops- The Strange Familiar is top notch. The title track is a feel good, head nodding, mouth smiling tune which conjures a love note we have written to the songstress for it's magic. Monica's equally veteran musician friends bolster up her natural charms. A mixture of feelings come up- from sadness, to joy to a fighting stance...it's a real journey taker.

"The Mighty" may remind old skool Monica fans of Reine La Belle and shows Monica's expansive artistic skills of spoken word and imagery joined together for a solid soundscape.

It's a masterpiece within few pieces....so don't forget "Armistice" which reminds me that surrender is always the answer and is a part 2 of "into My own's" mature message.

We are the lucky ones that Monica shares this intimate song set with us- a map into adulthood, and that growth is a time of interwoven melodies.

-Jules and Monica