Abra Moore: Strangest Places

As a younger man, I had high hopes for Abra Moore. I liked her voice, her music, and her. But my hopes and the music industry's whims are two different things.

You may remember her 1997 hit "Four Leaf Clover" from massive radio play that summer. The song is a catchy little diddy that leads off the album, and it interested me enough to by the single, which included "Guitar Song," another track off the album. I thought it was awesome, but I was always broke.

Finally broke down and bought the disc last year, and I was glad I did.

This disc, while not 100% cohesive, is still a great collection of 12 songs by this wonderful artist.

The title track, "Strangest Places," has a nice bop to it, and is reminiscent of something, but I'll be damned if I can place it; a better music person would know.

"Guitar Song" is a wonderful acoustic tune that I fell in love with on the first chord and I believe that anyone else who loves guitar-based music will feel similarly.

The accordian is an underused instrument, but Moore mixes it with some acoustic guitar on "Your Faithful Friend" to give the tune a wonderful, airy feel.

In the End: I think this is a pretty accesible album, with a way to grab most music lovers. There's nothing here to offend or distance people, but it may lack enough experimentation for some. I say give it a go; I adore the album.

On the Web: For those into the Myspace land, check her out at www.myspace.com/abramoore.