Chrystyna Marie
Life

Jason Sniderman’s wailing guitar and Michelle Josef’s heavy snare push the strut of Chrystyna Marie’s lead-off tune here, the super sexy, “I Want That Boom Boom.” A certainly country electric picked flavor informs “Devil With The Angel Eyes” which follows, setting us up for some truly incendiary work here from the blues rock singer/songwriter on this eight-song album, Life.

Things get even more sly and sexy on “The Witching Hour,” again showcasing Josef’s subtle abilities, and a low growl from Bazil Donovan’s bass, plus subtle touches from a David Gavin Baxter banjo. This proves to be one of the highlights on Life.

Here, as on many places on the album, the backing vocals of Philip Oleksiak and Joanna Medeiros support Marie perfectly.

Just when I thought I had this album figured out, we get a Jim McGrath trumpet funking us through the uptempo blues of a “A Woman Knows.” Sure the tune overstays its welcome a bit, but it’s damn fun and by the time we get to the last song here, the slow single-note guitar, and plunk of Jason’s Sniderman’s piano under Chrystyna Marie proving to us how strong her voice can be, we have certainly been taken on a wonderful ride of Life.