REVIEW: Lisa Cerbone, CB's Gallery, May 11

- Jamie Roberts

With all the sweetness in voice of Harriet Wheeler (The Sundays), and the style of Juliana Hatfield, flavored with her own clarity and unique spirit, Ichiban Records' Lisa Cerbone envelops an audience in a mesh of melodic comfort.

The crowd was sparse on this gloomy Thursday night. All that meant was that there were fewer people to bask in Cerbone's music. All I can say is that if you weren't there (and could've been), you messed up!

Small as the audience was, they were all rapt, staring at the stage. As Cerbone strummed her guitar and sang tracks from her album, Close Your Eyes, the melodic hooks and pop energy flowed freely. Her music is reminescent, in spirit, of 10,000 Maniacs, particularly in their track "These Are The Days". That fresh, optimistic, acoustic rhythm varies slightly from track to track but the overall feeling comes across in each song she plays. Tracks like "Manic Depressive Jubilation" and "My Sister and Me" were highlights of the all-too-short set.

Whether you term it grunge-pop or folky-rock, it is certainly entertaining. It projects an honest, optimistic, "niceness" that leaves you with a smile on your face. With all the people in this business making noise a commodity, Cerbone is a refreshing trip back to music for music lovers' sake. Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't that the purpose of this whole business anyway?