Anthems of a Mended Heart
GERI X
(MySpace.com/GeriX)
Prolific singer/songwriter Geri X returns with another consistently gripping, self-produced album of confessional indie-folk meditations fittingly dubbed Anthems of a Mended Heart. Her past emphasis on melancholy has largely been replaced on this album by a measured, life-affirming attitude. Although the songs are a bit sunnier this time 'round, the singer's formula for success remains the same: She holds listeners rapt with lyrics that deftly position vivid diary details against evocatively surreal imagery and rich metaphors. Mostly accompanying herself on acoustic guitar — with judicious backing by longtime guitar/bass player Greg Roteik and percussionist Anthony Zollo — Geri X compensates for her rather clumsy six-string strumming and limited vocal range by emotively phrasing lines that are by turns highly literate and intensely intimate. 3.5 stars
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2008.