Kiravell
Vaudevellia!
(self-released)

A halting piano arpeggio lies under Meniyka’s Kiravell’s rap at the beginning of “Pache Mama,” then we are into a rolling snare from Julien Cantlem and soft percussion from Ignacio Hernandez. Odd stuff to be sure, but effective and speaking well to Kiravell’s new album, Vaudevellia! This first tune of the nine here might overstay its welcome a bit, but there is no denying Kiravell has something to say and knows how to say it. The darker, but certainly sexy “Aladin” relies on whispered French vocals, Hernandez’s subtle handling of bass and Cantlem laying back with his train-like snare, while the jumping beat of “Veiled Lady” shows off the playing of the musicians here. Jamie Shadowlight’s violin rises above the piano runs and Cantlem’s rolling toms. I really like “Mire.” It has a funky, high piano roll and Kiravell sounds positively cutesy. The Carole King-sounding “Wash” ends the entire album. Again, we get a bit of a different vocal here from Kiravell as she runs close to the strings under her breathy refrains. This one is truly jazzy and another stand-out number and we get a lead mandolin here also by Hernandez. All music and lyrics here are written by Meniyka Kiravell and she is certainly aware of her songwriting, I just might have appreciated a few varied moments as the tunes tend to sound the same in lots of places.