Lauren Kinhan may be best known as one of the key components of the critically acclaimed New York Voices despite having a musical pedigree that includes work with Steely Dan, Sting, and Van Morrison. The recent Christmas release Let It Snow from The New York Voices put Kinhan back on my musical radar and her third solo release Circle In A Square is a stunning semi-autobiographical look at love, life and all the baggage one encounters along the way.
I've been burned by vocalists before. Having reviewed more singers in three years than most hear in a lifetime the vast majority are the equivalent of improvisational chewing gum, great flavor at the beginning but midway through the release they become utterly forgettable and quite often die a self inflicted death of pretentious overkill. Lauren Kinhan is the notable exception as her lyrical and harmonic gifts as a vocalist make an effortless transition to pen and paper as her talents as a lyricist are equal to any of her contemporaries. Circle In A Square features an all star lineup including Randy Brecker, Donny McCaslin and the Brazilian guitar virtuoso Romero Lubambo. The compositions are finely crafted pieces of Kinhan's experiences as she embraces that all important aspect of connectivity elevating this release past the tightly clustered pack of female vocalists content to bang out a set of shop worn standards in an effort to earn a quick if not relatively easily payday.
