Ashley Rivera is a singer/songwriter/vocalist from Georgia who just released their latest CD entitled “Danger Dreaming.’ This impressive release is an original blender of sound mixing Adelle, Vanessa Carlton, Lisa Loeb, Paula Cole, Beth Orton, Delta Rae and The Swell Season. Visually I must admit she bares a similar resemblance to some of the more soulful vocal legends in music.
“Danger Dreaming” can be described as psychedelic minimalist pop with rock, blues, country and trip-hop influences. This album is no doubt the fruit of a life’s journey and I thoroughly enjoyed it. On this CD expect an indie-pop-rock that fuses folk and contemporary songwriting with soulful harmonies. Rivera does an excellent job touching on all these styles, fusing genres with each song – even Electronic or Ambient Pop Rock. This latest 7 Track offering is a somewhat Pop-Psychedelic 7 track album that gleefully dances up and down the spectrum of modern-day Pop-Rock with hints of Americana-Blues served up hot on the side. The CD opens with the finger snapping “Buried” and pulls out all the stops until the final title track. I really like how the title track wraps the album at the very end. “Danger Dreaming” hits on all cylinder song for song, track to track. The music and vocal presence of Rivera presents the perfect musical backdrop for just sitting back and jamming out or playing in the car for a long drive. While each track is similar within their own right, all pieces on “Danger Dreaming” delivers unique, emotionally charged musical experiences that will satisfy any aficionado. Of particular note are the smooth, soothing vocals provided by Rivera. She’s a good “under the radar” talent and has no marketable weaknesses that I Can see and hear. Her voice delivers sold performances within their own right, all the while retaining a masculine/feminine fullness that compliments the skillful array of sounds brought forward by the rest of the instrumentation.
Watch “The Wreckage” video”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WziQjGa6Kk
Tracks that stand out for me are: Buried, The Wreckage, title track
To sum it up: I give Danger Dreaming by Ashley Rivera an enthusiastic four out of five stars and highly recommend this album to any fan of pop, rock, Americana Pop. Grab yourself a copy and kick up your heels to some solid songwriting! It definitely sets the standard for the genre, and should be a big hit.
Final Rating: 4/5 Stars
Sounds Like: Adelle, Vanessa Carlton, Paula Cole, Beth Orton
URL: http://ashleyriveramusic.com/
Purchase Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/danger-dreaming/id797791050
Vincent Chimera
