Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

My Lucky 13 is Burgandy Brown’s first proper first full length release, and there is a bit of internal tension to the music. Brown has a south country look to her --- she wouldn’t look out of place in a pickup truck or on the back of a motorcycle --- and her bio material indicates that her musical influences include the country music she listened to as a child with her grandfather. She was named, however, after a Tommy Bolin song and therein lies the conflict, much of which is unresolved.

My Lucky 13 is divided roughly between Burgandy Brown as a young Annie Wilson and a fair-to-middlin’ Faith Hill. Out Here is a good example of the former, a tune that would no sound out of place on a terrestrial contemporary country station, while Set It Off and Possessed could have come right off of Heart’s DREAMBOAT ANNIE CD. When she is able to combine the genres, ala Carrie Underwood, the results are…well, they’re great, such as on Lady Like and Then Came You, both of which could, and should, be on radio, particularly the former. On ballads, such as Risk and Eastern Plains, Brown’s vocals aren’t quite enough to raise the quality of the material to the level of the rest of the CD. Certainly, however, with a bit of seasoning Brown will be ready for prime time; she’s close already.

Brown is pursuing a college degree full time and working two jobs while pursuing a singing career, and once she is devotes a bit more time to defining and establishing her sounds, as well as honing her songwriting chops, the great things which My Lucky 13 promises will, no doubt, be delivered. My guess is that it will happen sooner, rather than later.