New releases surprisingly refreshing
by Michael Kraft, entertainment editor

    Allure: Sunny Days
    Allure has just released their second album Sunny Days, and it is surprisingly good.
    Honestly, first glance makes one question if we really need one more corporate-driven female vocal group.
    The market is so saturated right now that Allure risks being swallowed up and forgotten.
    Such extinction would happen if the girls weren’t so talented and the production so slick.
    The girls—Akissa, Alia, Hem Lee and Lalisha—are good singers who harmonize well.
    Instead of typical stop-start, arrhythmic, discordant beats and music that characterizes urban sounds, this music is well written and arranged with a classic feel that evokes slow, soulful ballads of the ’70s.
    The girls’ voices are perfectly matched to this style, and the music is relaxing and smooth. Highlights include the song Earn My Trust, a slow ballad that captures the girls’ vocal and emotional range, and Can’t Live Without You, a yearning number that has a definite Latin feel.
    Were it not for their excellent vocal style, which evokes The Supremes, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight and other great female singers of the past, Allure may have gotten lost in the shuffle, but as it is, for fans of Urban music, Allure is a nice treat.

    Slide Bar: Old and New
    Lyle and Buddy Parman, the father and son duo who are the core of Slide Bar, represent the true working musician.
    Slide Bar have been true road dogs, touring relentlessly for the past few years and building a fan base one show at a time.
    The band is a true workingman’s group.
    With a honky-tonk sound that mixes country, blues and a touch of early Lynrd Skynrd, Slide Bar is a breath of fresh air in this polished musical world.
    This group’s new album is a 19-song powerhouse of sound. Some of the songs date back to the early ’90s and are mixed with new material.
    The writing and arrangement are very tight, and the songs feel like something that would be pouring out of a jukebox on a rowdy Friday night at the blue-collar watering hole.
    Songs like Outlaw and Traffic Jammin’ show off the band’s faster, more raucous side.
    Slower numbers like I Don’t Love You Like That and a cover of To Love Somebody by the Bee Gees show these guys can slow down and be sensitive and heartfelt too.
    Singer Buddy Parman’s voice is a rugged instrument itself.
    When in harmony with the other band members or weaving notes with Lyle Parman’s twangy guitar, the sound is great.
    Slide Bar represents a huge part of the music world—excellent musicians with real talent who have a large following, but lack a major label to back them.
    These guys are great, and their album should become a part of any country/blues music fan’s collection. The only downside to self-releases is the lack of distribution.
    As such, one of the few places to get Old and New is online at www.slidebarband.com.