Billie Myers "Tea & Sympathy" CD Review

Anyone familiar with the music business over the past 10 to 15 years knows when it comes to developing an artist, whether breaking or a veteran the labels themselves have dropped the ball in a big way. In an age where "American Idol" is king, recording artists established or not have fallen by the wayside for more 'instant wonders,' and 'trends of the moment,' types of talent - or lack there of. Billie Myers happens to have been one of those promising talents that fell dormant after her second release "Vertigo," back in 2000. After her hit "Kiss the Rain," (yes, THAT Billie Myers - remember now?) one would think Universal would have been frothing at the mouth hoping her second releases splash would be as significant as her first "Growing Pains." Which sold one million copies worldwide. It is possible that "Vertigo" would have been a top 10 release under normal circumstances. The CD had a couple of undeniable club hits with the single "Am I Here Yet?" and "Flexible." Though she isn't a 'dance' artist (her vocal stylings back in the day have been compared to Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders) her pop/rock sensibilities ring loud and clear. Her live performances are deeply rooted in rock 'n roll. Climbing on to stage rigging is a usual occurrence. It's a good thing Billie isn't afraid of heights. Her videos were played on VH-1 (yes, they actually used to play videos during the evening hours - maybe Myers would have been favored more had she hit the level of 'reality show' star, VH1's new favorite forte - I shudder to think) and received good feedback. Bottom line for me: "Vertigo," was and still is a very good and interesting release. There were a handful of songs upon first listen that grabbed you. Especially the lyrics, sorry, for the moment I'm throwing the groove aside. Being a writer, it's the words and their sentiment, meaning, intention that really makes the first impression. Of course a melody and not merely a bunch of chords thrown together are catching and pleasant also. "Vertigo," really did have the best of both worlds.

Forward to today, Myers third release "Tea & Sympathy," released on Myers own label FruitLoop Records (wise move Billie) should fair much better in the promotion department than her previous releases. After all, this time Myers is at the helm. Its official release date is August 18, 2009. Upon receiving the CD I wasn't really sure what to expect. Sure I know her and her music but it had been a long time since "Vertigo," and a lot of water had passed under the bridge; more like a monsoon actually. Without going into too much detail, Myers tailspin after being dropped from Universal was a personal blow not only professionally, personally but also financially. The tough times were ahead and they weren't going to be pretty. I'll leave all the details to Myers bio and interviews where she can in her own words tell her story the way it should be told. After all I'm only here to review "T & S."

This time around Billie has got some heavy hitters in her corner as collaborators. Peter Vale, (Lemar, Beverly Knight), Kristen Hall, (Sugarland) and Marcella Detroit, (Shakespeare's Sister, Eric Clapton) Also UK producer Dee Adam jumped on board. The first track "Lady Jane," catches the ear right away. It's got great structure and a great hook. Very catchy and listener friendly, great tune about the 'Hollywood' mystic. The first single release from the CD "I Hope You're Happy Now," on the surface is a worn torn 'love and lose them' song with a bit of melancholy drama thrown in, until you read the lyrics. Defiantly not your typical break-up tune. There is real heartache and you don't have to read between the lines to find it. Myers vocal delivery speaks volumes all on its own. She knows from what she speaks. "Another lover in my bed / Wishing you were here instead / Another drink to get me drunk / Another wall I'll have to punch". Can't get more raw than that, and coming from a female artist no less. Now, don't get all heavy handed on me. This is not a female lament 'feel sorry for me' record. Quite the contrary: it's a release of basic survival and Myers pulls it off, note by note, word by word. Another tune that is painstakingly clear and relevant is "Send Me An Angel (...Is God Dead?). Catchy little number it's not but it will make you sit up and take notice. The human condition always makes great copy. You just have to pick up a newspaper or watch the evening news for that realization. "Send Me An Angel," gets right to the point. There's no pussyfooting around. Beginning with a verse from GENESIS 1 (not Phil Collins band thank you) and ending with Myers spoken word excerpt from THE RIVER OF LIFE - REVELATIONS 22, "Angel," a clear and concise cry for help. There's just no other way to describe it.

I don't want to give the impression that "Tea & Sympathy," is a downer of a release. Rather, it's thought provoking and on a level that not many 'pop' CD's would dare to tread. This is the kind of artistic freedom you can yield when you have your own record label or can at the very least put out your own music without the 'Big Brother' corporate conglomerate breathing down your neck. This time around for this CD release I won't be the only one promoting Myers and her talent. "Tea & Sympathy," speaks for itself and it seems after a long hiatus away from the music business Billie Myers had a lot on her mind. It was well worth the wait to hear what she has to say.