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Roxie Sakura
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Happy Now!
Licorich Records
Release: 6/21/2005
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Rated:
Review by:
Morley Seaver
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The only thing wrong with this record is that there isn't more of it! At six cuts, and two fillers; a brief intro and a 44 second skit, it's a bit light. However, there's a lot here to enjoy in its brief spin.
Roxie Sakura is a singer from the Los Angeles area that has some great vocals and a good set of songs. It also doesn't hurt she's fall-down gorgeous. Apparently Sakura has an opera background and a five octave voice, which is no surprise when you hear this disc. Instead of showing off the range of which she is capable though, she instead displays her vocal strength in places. She could stand to let it wail a bit more though, as you sense there is a lot of horsepower waiting to let rip.
Sakura also co-wrote all the songs with Licorich Records main man, Jay Plot 1-3' ra. The music is hip-hop flavored, crossed with R&B. After the spoken word intro "Roxie Land," the first cut is the best song on the record, "I'm Stronger." Sakura's confident vocals drive this cut, which is also helped along by the funky bass and well-mixed guitar. The verses are great and the chorus is excellent with her voice double-tracked to slam down an exclamation mark.
The cheesy phone conversation (hey that's what it says on the bio sheet) just fills in the time before "Party Girl," a Pointer Sisters sound-alike for the new millennium thrusts its hips your way. Sakura varies the sound by rapping the last verse. "Beautiful Star" has a Brandy-like vocal. Nice, but does not stand out. The last cut "Happy Now!" fares better with a great chorus and some nice vocals. Good background vocals on this one too.
It's nice to have a varied sound but if she could have more material like "I'm Stronger," she would to be heading places. |
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