Straight Line
Christina Maria
Vissen Records
Singer-songwriter Christina Maria’s sophomore album Straight Line mixes folk, pop and acoustic in an attempt to emulate the greats. Unfortunately, Maria’s soft, likable voice is hampered by dull, repetitive lyrics.
Each song deals with love, revisiting it in the same, tired fashion. Maria wouldve been better to ditch the overly complex metaphors for simple, straightup fare which would better match her laidback melodies.
The first single, “Carolina,” is standard pop fare: an easy singalong redeemed only by a brief saxophone solo. On the forgettable “Breakmaker” Maria sounds formulaic, repeating the same line over and over with minor changes.
Still, Maria’s voice and catchy melodies draw in the listener and are reminiscent of Rufus Wainwright, making you hope for the best. Unfortunately, the majority of the album’s songs are disappointments, including the title track.
On “A Lover In Me”, she finally gets it just right. Maria takes it down a notch, losing the trills and octave changes and returning to the basics.
When she sings, “And with you, I’ve never felt so loved and free / and you’ll always have a lover, always have a lover in me,” Maria matches the soft, easy feel of songs like “Baby Can I Hold You,” by Tracy Chapman.
Ultimately, the album is a disappointing followup to 2008’s Stars and Satellites, which boasted better-developed lyrics and relied less on pop-infused melody. Nothing on Straight Line satisfies quite like the title track of Stars and Satellites, leaving listeners disappointed.