Conjure One - Extraordinary Ways

It's good to hear Poe's voice again. Hers is the first one you hear on Conjure One's Extraordinary Ways. Even masquerading as "Jane," (which probably has something to do with Poe's music label troubles) her powerful voice is unmistakable. Both vulnerable and strong, she grounds opening track "Endless Dream" in the real world, giving a point of reference for the soaring, swirling instrumentation and electronics. "Endless Dream" makes a promise the rest of the album can't live up to. It's really too bad Poe only sings on three songs. How Rhys Fulber went from the cold industrial sounds of Front Line Assembly to the cheap L.A. spirituality that permeates most of his work under the name Conjure One is hard to fathom. Songs like "Pilgrimage" and "Dying Light" try to evoke exotic lands and times but really only get as far as evoking a movie set. Other vocalists such as Tiff Lacey, Joanna Stevens, and Leah Randi all have sort of the indistinct, airy voices that tend to dominate a lot electronic music. They are pretty enough but virtually interchangeable and forgettable, much like the songs they sing on. Fulber taking vocal duty on a cover of The Buzzcock's "I Believe" works better than most other songs since he takes the material and makes it his own without overpowering the original. The song is presented in a fairly straightforward manner with some good contributions by Fulber. With his vocals, it's one of the most memorable on the album. But Poe's songs are the ones that truly stand out. "One Word" and "Extraordinary Ways" complete the trio that began with "Endless Dream." Theses songs are just more vibrant and alive than the rest of Extraordinary Ways. She and Fulber truly shine together, each complementing the skills of the other. If the album was just the two of them working together, it would be amazing. But Extraordinary Ways isn't worth it for just three songs. Here's to hoping Poe will be able to release another album soon, and she'll be able to bring Fulber along for some of it. [www.conjureone.com]