‘Resilience’ is this New York based singer songwriter’s third full-length studio album - a collection of nine original folky Americana tracks.
In addition to Bello’s lead vocals, accordion and keys, the players are Mike Nugent on guitar, bass and dobro and Shawn Murray on drums. Jim Small’s harmonica and Richie Guerrero and Sean Dolan on percussion can also be heard on a number of the tracks.
In the first four tunes she sings quietly of the need for equality of race and gender with the related general opposition to injustice. Her lyrics are often strident calls for action without the forceful delivery they demand. In The Sound of Guitars she gently advocates that we “love one another, heal this nation.”
Such worthy, yet vague, sentiments are underpinned by the artist’s resilient faith in God. Rising reminds listeners of Jesus’ ”misunderstood” message of love and peace while in I Am Empty she holds fast to the belief that prayers can fill the void she feels.
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Other songs are more like diary entries with drama-lite thoughts on daily life during which she insists (in Killing Time) that “I’m not young but I’m not ready to give it up.”
All in all, it’s all a bit too humdrum to make a lasting impression.
Josie Bello’s website
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