ZEE AVI - ALBUM REVIEW

I am listening to Zee Avi this very moment. Bought her CD at Victoria, Sungei Wang Plaza during lunch hour. By the way, I love Victoria music store. It’s located on the ground floor of Sungei Wang. I think it’s one of the best music stores in KL if not the best! True, the layout is a far cry from that of Tower Record or any other upmarket music stores but the staffs are friendly and their stocks are so varied you can find almost any record! At least I can… It’s also a plus point when the salespersons are able to give their reviews on a particular record I’m interested in. Sometimes, it feels like I’m walking into one of those back lane record stores in London where I would be greeted by young men with dreadlocks and smell like they haven’t seen the shower or bath tub for weeks. But the blaring feng-tau music from surrounding stores ensures I am homebound again. Browsing through stacks of CDs in Victoria usually results in a lunch-less lunch hour and a poorer me.

I digress.

Back to Zee Avi. I am officially her fan. She is truly a talented young lady and I believe this is only the beginning. She exhibits extraordinary maturity and depth through her pieces. Her music is simple, uncomplicated. The strumming and plucking of guitar sound flawless. Her phrases are short and catchy. One way to describe her work is honest and without pretense. I have always had this inclination towards singers who sing without much layering or fancy arrangements. The likes of Tunde Baiyewu, Norah Jones, Keiko Lee and another superb local talent who deserves a separate review in this blog, Yuna.

Zee Avi’s voice is strong yet never overpowering. A testament that a good singer does not need to hit high note on each line. A Malay word that comes to my mind every time I hear her voice is “lemak”. I’m still thinking of a comparable English adjective… Perhaps “rich”? You see, literally, “lemak” means “fat” (noun). But I can’t say her voice is “fat”. It does not make sense. So, I leave it as “rich” until I can think of a better word. There I go again. I can never stay on track. If Zee Avi were to commission me to write promo articles for her album, I would’ve been axed the moment she reads this all-over-the-place piece.

Anyway, expect to be blown away by her rich, sultry voice. The thing is, when you sing with only one or two accompanying instruments, your margin for mistakes is almost zero. Any mistake is magnified and you cannot hide behind some fancy arrangement or digitalized layering.

This self titled debut album will definitely catapult Zee Avi’s career to the next level. It is not merely an attempt to prove that this girl can sing. She’s done that long before her album is out. I view this album as an introduction to Zee Avi and what she, as a singer songwriter, embodies and represents. I look forward to many, many more beautiful albums from this talented young lady.