Rachanee's Ordinary Girl

Posted by Kevan Breitinger Jul 11, 2006

She offers eleven songs, mostly guitar-driven pop, a number of which are relevant to young adults. It's a tact that I enjoy about this project; in that sense the title speaks to her view of herself and her perspective as being representative of an ordinary woman. Her girlish vocals add to that impression; she is warm without being particularly extraordinary. She sings of the life issues common to many of us, and she does it without a lot of hubbub. This is not faint praise. I think this may be Rachanee's niche.

A number of the songs cover love and relationship issues. "Here With Me" is one of the better ones, its '60s guitars giving it a cool retro vibe. "Still the Same" is hook-rich, and the keyboards add to its lushness. I enjoyed "When You Look at Me" for its sparkling vocals. "From Here" is an interesting track addressing the post-graduate questions.

But I have to say I liked Rachanee best when she sings of her faith. "Unspoken" stands out for its rich lyrics (the relationship questions raised by differing spiritual perspectives) and its superb instrumentation (oh that accordion!). The title track, a piano ballad beautifully accompanied by a double bass, gives Rachanee opportunity to really pour out her soul, and it is a torrent of genuine faith, quite powerfully presented.

All in all, a nice debut. I'd be interested in seeing where Rachanee's next direction takes her.