CD title: Full Moon Cigarette (Hollywood Records, July 2006)
Raised in a small town in Ohio by parents who appreciated music and encouraged their children to play, Gran Bel Fisher has taken their encouragement to heart and run with it. And his debut album, Full Moon Cigarette, is a chronicle of his life, loves and the loses he has experienced throughout his 24 years.
Each of Fisher’s compositions has a clear-cut direction, and in its entirety, the CD is fully realized work that flows smartly and smoothly from one song to the next. The majority are straightforward mainstream pop songs that are catchy and easy to listen to with somewhat predictable chord progressions. There are a couple of numbers (“Edible”) on which Fisher lets loose with harder rock beats and intense and emtional vocals. Coldplay fans will find many similarities between the two–sometimes the similarities are so much so that if you didn’t know better you’d swear you were listening to Chris Martin (“Moment”). And due to the fact that Fisher’s music is both guitar- and piano-driven, there is a tinge of Ben Folds Five-type vibe that occasionally comes across.
The album is more produced than many debut attempts, but the production does in no way go overboard to sterilize Fisher’s fresh, empowered voice. Full Moon Cigarette tries to be, and at times is, philosophical, but the lyrics take a backseat to the music unless you’re attention is solely fixed on hearing the finer points Fisher is trying to make. But when you do take the time to listen and/or read the lyrics sheet, you see Fisher has a profound way of expressing himself and telling his tales.
“Lyrically and musically this is the record I’ve always wanted to make,” Fisher said in a press release. “The journey of making this album, even with some hard times and problems I ran into along the way, was really just a blessing in disguise.”
Full Moon Cigarette is a fantastic CD to listen to on a lazy Saturday morning when you’re kicking back and looking for a cheerful pick-me-up, or to stick on during a relaxed gathering of friends and family. And, considering the songwriting on this CD was so sophisticated, it will be interesting to see where Gran Bel Fisher takes his music in the future.
For more information about Gran Bel Fisher, visit www.granbelfisher.com or www.myspace.com/granbelfisher.
Upcoming performances:
9/21/06 Cambridge Room at House of Blues, Cleveland, OH, with Ari Hest, 8:30 pm
9/22/06 High Dive, Champaign, IL, with Ari Hest, 7 pm
9/24/06 Schuba’s, Chicago, IL, with Ari Hest, 7:30 pm
9/25/06 Blind Pig, Ann Arbor, MI, with Ari Hest, 8 pm
9/27/06 20th Century Theatre, Cincinnati, OH, 8 pm
9/28/06 Jakes, Bloomington, IN, with Will Hoge, 9 pm
9/29/06 Exit In, Nashville, TN, with Will Hoge, 8 pm
