Mad Romance

The term “mad romance” was once used as a way to describe the ultimate feeling you can get in love. These days, people will use even more extreme ways to talk about a love so raw that you can eat your own lips just thinking about it, but the music of Mad Romance is not of these times, but a time long gone when vocal jazz could change the world and move crowds into making babies that night (if not on the dance floor). The four-piece group offer up Aim High (self released), and the one group that immediately came to mind was Manhattan Transfer, who sound great together but where each of them shine in their own right in various tracks. Despite the age of most of these songs, they are very vibrant and relevant today, especially “How Long Has This Been Going On”. Wendy Pederson sings lead on this one, and you can hear her draw in all of the elements that the lyrics convey and bring them home. The Zombies‘ “Time Of The Season” is reinterpreted here beautifully, and it’s also nice to hear a vocal jazz album that doesn’t stay within its own boundaries. That’s made clear again in “You Make Me Feel Brand New”, as the soul of the old Stylistics song is renewed for a new generation to hear.

Of course, I’m saying this as if this album is being aimed to Katy Perry and Justin Bieber fans, which it isn’t, but should. This is top notch vocals and arrangements that will please fans of the genre, but also make those who love damn good music quite happy.
- This is Book's Music