Space

There are some CDs I buy out of blind faith.

Mishka Adams' first album ("God Bless the Child", 2004) was kind of one of them. "Kind of" because while I haven't heard of her then, I looked at the CD credits and decided that if this girl is backed up by the most accomplished and promising musicians in the local jazz scene, this record must be good.

That album undoubtedly had her stamp on it. Amid the din of the Michael Bublés and Norah Joneses of this season - the British-Filipina Mishka stood out with her extraordinary take on the Great American Songbook tunes and her even richer original compositions. While the typical 20 year-old would wail about broken hearts and the angsts of youth - here's one that reflects still on wonderment of exotic places ("Marrakech"), memories of loved ones ("Mama's Garden") and looking forward to the future ("War of the Skies", "Where Do I Begin"), but infused with an ethereal sense of observation of the world around her that's incredibly beyond her years. But then, she must indeed be a blessed child.

So when I saw her sophomore album "Space" at the store, I didn't think twice about getting it, despite the fact that this time, she is backed up by a British jazz group. I got excited at the prospect of an entire album of songs that she's written as after all, her originals were my biggest favorites in the first album. Sometimes blind faith has its rewards.

But sometimes, they don't. Mishka's signature sophisticated vocals is still very much "Space's" highlight and some individual songs have its moments, like "Disguise" with a little bit of 60s indie sound, the title track "Space" that has this melancholy air which reminds me of Diana Krall's original "Departure Bay", the short but sweet cornet solo in "Angel", and the melodic but airy samba beat of "Under a Brazilian Sky". Somehow, though, the album lacks the same energy and diversity of "God Bless the Child". Maybe slow-tempo jazz just isn't my cup of tea. The songs are not lacking in depth, these are very personal to Mishka, after all. But maybe I'm trying to seek the mundanities and poignance that will help me connect with them more. Or maybe, it's just the subtle arrangements do not make for a good combination with Mishka's impressionistic lyrics. Perhaps the individual songs would benefit better as part of a more diverse compilation. Thrown together, the effect became a little monotonous.

(As an aside to that, it's a coincidence that I felt a bit similarly about Krall's first effort at releasing an album with originals dressed in a more bluesy/fusion-y cloak, "Girl in the Other Room".)