Draw the Line
Artist: Marion Square  
Label: Indie

Who knows why some premiere CD's become the best a band has to offer, while others hint at what may come to be at some future date.  Marion Square's premiere CD Draw the Line has all of the necessary ingredients for a good, if not a great record.  The production values are first rate, the musicianship is a cut above most mainstream artists and their lead singer, McCall Cruse, has a distinctive and expressive voice.  
 
Most great debuts have, as their foundation, great material to draw from.  This is the central problem on this CD.  The songs all hit the same note both in style and theme, over and over again.  How long does one need to sing about the disillusionment of love before moving on to something, say, ironic, humorous, or....heaven forbid, uplifting?  
 
The limitations of Ms. Cruse vocal range, while used well, doesn't stand up to song after song with the same tone and texture.  The end of the CD, results in a feeling of relief that the listener can move on to U2, Green Day, or Coldplay.  But, beneath these misfires there is a step in the right direction in finding their own voice.  They have the foundation in terms of their style and the talent that is clear on Draw the Line.   The publicity information compares them with Fleetwood Mac.  They even thank the band in their liner notes.  But, there's no apparent influence here.   The finest tracks are "Draw the Line,"  and "I'm a Stage," which thankfully ends the CD with McCall Cruse's soft, vulnerable vocal and her piano.    For now, we'll have to watch for a second release to see if they make some progress. Keep the musicianship and some variety to your songs would be my advice.  
 
Terry Roland
http://www.trippinthesixties.com 

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