Melissa Stylianou - Silent Movie (2012)

For her 4th CD, Melissa Stylianou has assembled a fascinating collection of songs from various sources, ranging from originals to contemporary singer-songwriters (such as Joanna Newsom, Paul Simon and James Taylor) as well as "classic" songs from Henry Mancini, Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein and Johnny Cash. "Silent Movie" (Anzic Records) is best described by its creator as "a collection of small stories, everyday life caught in a series of moving frames." And what a fine storyteller Ms. Stylianou is. The opening track, Charlie Chaplin's classic melody "Smile", is flat-out gorgeous. No frills, no vocal acrobatics or fancy solos, just the wisdom of the lyrics (composed by John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons). The quartet that supports the vocalist - pianist Jamie Reynolds, guitaristPete McCann, bassist Gary Wang, and drummer Rodney Green - makes all the right moves… Quiet music does not always make for good listening but "Silent Movie" glows with intelligence and love of melody.

Tracklist:

1. Smile
2. Something in the Way She Moves
3. Silent Movie
4. Onde Ir
5. Hearts and Bones
6. Today I Sing the Blues
7. Hearing Your Voice
8. I Still Miss Someone
9. Folks Who Live on the Hill
10. First Impressions
11. Swansea
12. Moon River