Master Of The Powerless

Haze

Emerald Forest Entertainment, 1998

http://www.facebook.com/HazeUK

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 09/30/1998

If images were everything, then Haze would be the next big thing that would send parents scurrying for the exits. Sporting a Marilyn Manson-like pout and tattoos that even Dennis Rodman would think were over the edge, she definitely presents an image that you won't soon forget.

Fortunately, it's music that counts (or so some of us would like to believe) in this business, and Haze's debut disc Master Of The Powerlessmy_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 is a pretty good, albeit shaky at times, first sampling of an artist who reminds me of a harder-edged Alanis Morissette than Marilyn Manson.

Musically, Haze is a talented songwriter who knows how to take influences from more-known songs (note, I'm not saying she's plagiarizing) and is able to work them into more modern rhythms and lyrical patterns that today's listener can relate to. Songs like "Alone" remind me of so many songs I've heard in my past, yet it sounds refreshingly modern.

This isn't to say that Haze is above covering songs from the past. Her cover of "Tracks Of My Tears" left something to be desired, especially when compared to her original material. On the other hand, a modern-day spin on "Tom Dooley" turned out to be much better than I expected, and is a decent song.

Of the originals, Master Of The Powerless shines on tracks like "Chant," "Peach" and "God (Wish You Were Here)", though I'm not sure if the latter is an indictment against the Almighty or pining for an inamorata who's not there. Although, when you throw in lyrics on this album like "Here's to my maker / You are my faker", I think I know which way the pendulum is swinging regarding that question. For the most part, the original numbers on this album are fresh, though I would have preferred a little more variety in the overall sound (which is kind of a light-industrial-gloom). The energy begins to dip at the end of the album with songs like "Bleeding Hammer" and "Ants" - and seeing that this album clocks in at under 35 minutes, that's not a good sign.

Still, this is a first effort, and overall, it's a valiant one. Haze might be difficult to classify, but her strengths aren't hard to see at all. Master Of The Powerless is a first step for this young artist, and while it's a good album, it shows how much more road needs to be traveled.

  For more information, visit Haze's Web site at: http://www.CoolHaze.com

Rating: B-

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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© 1998 Christopher Thelen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Emerald Forest Entertainment, and is used for informational purposes only.