Local Spins

Cameo Hill
‘Pages of Green’

Echoing the work of such acoustic luminaries as Joni Mitchell and Tracy Chapman, Valley singer/songwriter
Cameo Hill’s debut CD “Pages of Green” is one of the finest local releases of the year. Possessed of a powerful, controlled voice, Hill’s range is extraordinary, drifting in and out of falsetto and layering her tunes with her own spot-on harmonies. Hill fleshes out her acoustic guitar playing by using an array of open and drop tunings that allow her to be consistently inventive. She also plays bass and is joined by drummer Mike Hill on several songs, adding extra punch to tunes such as the upbeat opener “Electric” and the Ani DiFranco-esque “No Roses.” With confessional-style lyrics that easily blend imagery and metaphor with catchy turns of phrase and impeccable musicianship, it all adds up to a winning debut by a major songwriting talent. A-

Next show: Nothing scheduled at this time
Web site: www.cameohill.com

— by Chris Holly, Get Out

Synoptic
‘Spring 2004’

On their quirky full-length debut disc, Synoptic showcase a wide spectrum of genres, veering from hard guitar rock to piano-based pop to hip-hop influenced DJ scratching. After an opening that asks the listener to “Put your hands together for Synoptic!” the hard rocking “The Gatekeeper” kicks in with some guitar riffage and forceful vocals by lead singer Jason Tourville, then descends into an out-of-place scratch fest by DJ Eon that throws off the band’s momentum.

The best cut here is the delicate piano feathered “Claudia” that sounds like an epic Queen would have done in the 1970s. The musicianship is solid throughout, but the songwriting lacks cohesiveness, sounding at times like Tourville is rushing to cram the lines into the music. This is an ambitious release for a band barely into their 20s and their potential is evident, but at this point Synoptic’s scope and vision exceed their reach. C

Next Show: Nothing scheduled at this time.
Web site: www.synopticmusic.com

— by Chris Holly, Get Out