Annie Benjamin, "Life's Blessings" Rocket Girl Music RGM0001
	by Rockzilla

	Some folks have had a problem categorizing Annie Benjamin's music. I don't see the problem. Annie's music clearly fits into the folk/country/gospel/soft rock/jazz/blues category. That's the only category broad enough to hold all of Annie's songs. After playing and singing in a variety of bands from Dallas to New York to Austin and back to Dallas, Benjamin launched her solo career in September, 2000. Her debut album, "Life's Blessings", was released in early 2001. Annie, who in addition to her amazing vocals plays acoustic guitar and flute on the album, is joined by some great musicians: John Adams on acoustic & electric bass, James Bucklin on acoustic & electric guitar, Mike Galante on drums & percussion, Rene Lawrence on acoustic guitar, Pierce Miesenbach on cello, Al Moliledous on violin, T-Roy Miller on dobro, Brian Piper on keyboards, and Lee Tomboulian on accordian. Jack Waldenmaier produced and engineered.   "Life's Blessings" contains ten songs, all written by Benjamin. Nine of them are outstanding and one is, at best, so-so. The album opens with 'Come on Down', a fast paced song which was inspired by Annie's grandmother, Marie, who painted images of clouds. After Marie's death, Annie would imagine that her grandmother returned to her in the form of a thunderstorm. 'Darker Side of Blue', which Annie wrote back in 1991, and describes as "a song about doing the wrong things for the wrong reasons" is a slow jazz/blues tune. The music here really grabs you. Everything works together- Galante's drums, Bucklin's beautiful acoustic guitar playing and Lee Tomboulian's deftly understated accordian accompaniment. 'Great Divide' revisits one of folk music's favorite subjects- The Great Depression: Many a man rode a train back in 1935 When there wasn't any work or any money to keep a family alive All a man needed were the legs to fly and the will to see it through A trip across America was nothing compared to what those men had to do So they took a dive into That great big sky of blue 'Wildflowers' is a simple, beautiful song, made even more so by Miesenbach's cello acompaniment. Benjamin sings of life and change and memories and renewal: Bluebonnets bloom when it's springtime here Another season's come and gone Hurricanes will blow the summer months away And scatter the seeds of wildflowers 'Mudflap Girl' is not a bad song- just out of place here. The pitiful thing is that it is also the song most likely to get radio airplay. There is a spiritual quality to much of Annie's music. 'Glory' ia a song of faith and salvation: There's a train they call Glory I can hear it rollin' down the tracks tonight And it's going to a place they call holy I'll be jumping 'board that train come morning light Just follow the Jordan River Then go out on your own Believe in faith and the promise of love And then you find a place called home On 'West Texas Wind', Annie proves that she can write and sing country songs, too. T-Roy Miller is outstanding on the dobro, as usual. 'Another Flight' is about a woman left behind by a traveling husband: It's just another day, the six o'clock alarm went off It's just another song that's playing on the radio Just another sunrise, another cup of strong dark coffee And it's just another flight, you'll be back tomorrow night In time to have a bite of something before you have to go again... Then: Today your in Chicago in a building made of glass The week before it was New York you keep saying this traveling won't last But I've heard that line so many times over and over again This morning I see through it, I think I know what it means All these years you've been leaving me but I'm the one who has to say goodbye again   'Life's Blessings' is a full blown spiritual, and Annie's vocals, along with the "choir" are really moving. And just when you think that you've seen the darkest Hours ever known by anyone Just you remember that those shadows Would not exist without the light from the sun   Don't forget life's blessings Keep love in your heart   While 'Another Flight' looked at life from the perspective of the lover left behind, 'The Road' looks at things from the other side: Kiss the kids good night for me Make sure they say their prayers before they go to sleep And if they should ask tell them that I love them And that Momma's out searching, searching for her dreams Another sleepless night fifty miles ahead Four hundred more come morning light...   Even with 'Mudflap Girl', "Life's Blessings" is a wonderful album. Annie's lyrics and her vocals are sensitive and moving. The music throughout is flawless. After listening to "Life's Blessings", you'll feel like a better person- and probably will be! Visit the "Rocket Girl" at www.anniebenjamin.com

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