Ilyana Kadushin & James Harrell

In some cases, intriguing albums are also erratic albums; the artist has a lot of interesting ideas but doesn't always know to make them work. While the artist deserves credit for originality and for taking chances, something is missing -- and the result is an album that shows some promise but is uneven. Lythion, thankfully, doesn't have that problem on their debut album, ...From the Beginning, which takes a lot of risks but is enjoyably consistent. Comprised of lead singer Ilyana Kadushin and guitarist/keyboardist James Harrell, this New York City-based duo has a wide variety of influences and is not easy to categorize; perhaps ...From the Beginning is best described as alternative pop/rock or art rock with elements of soul and funk as well as cabaret and jazz. A variety of adjectives come to mind when this 2004 release is playing; Lythion's songs are theatrical, artsy, moody and mildly eccentric, but they are also soulful and bluesy. The expressive Kadushin has a background in performance art, and it shows -- she can be a bit self-indulgent at times, although not to the point of becoming problematic. And the interesting thing about Kadushin is her ability to be somewhat abstract without ever losing her gritty sense of the blues; if anyone is capable of bridging the gap between the artsy experimentation of Brian Eno, Tori Amos and Kate Bush and the neo-soul grit of Jill Scott and Mary J. Blige, it may very well be Kadushin. That isn't to say that ...From the Beginning will ever be played on commercial R&B stations; this is a rock album first and foremost, but the soul influence is certainly present on this adventurous, impressively original debut. -

Lythion is hard to classify and it took a few listens to really grow on me, but it did. Their press materials talk about a performance-art show, but the CD by itself is interesting enough. “Kate Bush crossed with Brian Eno” might hint at what to expect here, but it wouldn’t convey the full range of musical idioms blended by this duo of sultry and versatile vocalist Ilyana Kadushin and multi-instrumentalist/programmer James Harrell. From acoustic soul/r&b (“Fly My Mind”) to mellow Pink Floyd (“Traveling”) to lounge (“Champagne”), there’s a lot to chew on here.

But they’re no dabblers. Every musical language they draw on serves the quality and meaning of the song in question. Though the smart lyrics treat sex, spirituality and perception in serious and funny ways, a lot of the music’s appeal is in the spell cast by Kadushin’s silky vocals, the clever arrangements behind them and the meticulous production. -