This seems to be a week filled with music! It started off with my account of The Postal Service concert, and today’s post will be about Cy Curnin’s newest solo effort called The Horse’s Mouth. I’ve had this album for a while because I’m a “Production Associate”, which means I signed up early enough during the pre-sale of the album that my name appears in the liner notes and on Cy’s site as an album sponsor. Out of respect for Cy and all of the people who worked hard on this album, we were asked to wait to share this fantastic album until they were ready to put it out to the larger market. Now that the album is officially on sale on the Cy Curnin and The Fixx websites (iTunes and Amazon as well), I feel confident in sharing my thoughts on one of my favorite new albums this year.
I’ve always loved The Fixx. Cy’s voice is so distinct and known to me because that group was a part of my teen years and they were a fixture on every alternative station I listened to growing up, and even now on Resurrection Sunday on 91X and 1st Wave on Sirius XM. I knew he released works without The Fixx over the years, but this is my first time purchasing one of his solo albums. The Horse’s Mouth feels like a combination of old and new, modern and retro. I know in my heart that this is new music, but some of it feels so familiar in songs like “Bubble”, “Strange Ways”, “Before the Day is Out” and “Light in The Darkest Hour”. They remind me very much of The Fixx and are part of my top six favorite songs on the album. “Why Why Baby” and “All Over” are both energetic and modern sounding. I can completely picture myself in a night club, listening to remixes of these songs over pulsating speakers. There is also quite a mix of style and genre in songs like “Karma Mama” (jazz), “Been There Done That” (spoken word, almost rap!), “Belladonna” (rock), and “Joy” (salsa/latino). But my runaway favorites on the whole album are “Celebrating” and “The Good in You”. “Celebrating” is so incredibly upbeat, that I found myself dancing in my car to this enthusiastic anthem. “The Good In You” is a wonderful duet featuring Canadian singer Jann Arden. This song has been on repeat since I received the album. It’s groovy, soulful, catchy and just altogether…good! I am honored to be among the other “Production Associates” as a part of Cy Curnin’s latest solo effort. Cy should be proud of this album!
Above: My name and blog in the liner notes. Below: I have #27 of 300 pressed in the first release.
Bonus Pictures – Above: My signed DVD and USB stick, after I saw The Fixx in concert in Las Vegas back in 2007. I said “Hello Cy, I’m…Cy!”, which is why it says “To me!” Below: With The Fixx after the signing. Drummer Adam Woods is pointing at me because I said “GO YOU REDS!”, knowing he’s a Manchester United fan.
