Introducing a chance encounter, a collaborative project between two new acquaintances – the singer-songwriter partner of a renowned doctor, and a cancer researcher she met as his plus-one at a medical conference. Mandy May Blest and Dr. Steven Rosen fuse divine vocals with heartfelt sentiments and classic pop melodies, for the evocative ballads and beauty of the album Lover.
Beginning with the somewhat nostalgic jazz and blues tones of Be Mine, the album is off to a strong start – an organic set-up, subtle horns, lush and mildly raspy vocals from Mandy, and Dr. Steven Rosen’s lyrics painting an image of genuine love and longing for a significant other.
Nostalgia then grips all the more strongly, for the distant reverb and live-sounding charm and seduction of Blue – something fit to capture the mood in a Dirty Dancing remake – a personal favourite, with a similar hook repetition to the opener, but a musicality and vibe completely its own. We get a twist of Swift in the romantic loops, but otherwise the Lover album holds true to its own organic fusion of characteristics and Folk-Americana-esque musicianship.
Carved In Stone is boldly emotive, the vocal expressive and captivating, the lyrics poetic and powerful, the set-up contrasting weight and acoustic delicacy throughout a growing sense of euphoric passion and beauty. Another defiant favourite, and one that leads brilliantly into the drama and pain of the mighty Daddy’s Gone.
Arrangement is crucial for the returning artform that is the album, and here we see that value celebrated, as we move though the changing moods, emotions and stories of the project.
Fourteen tracks in full make up Lover, a project that openly explores the many sides and styles of love, from that which lights a fire, through that which fails, to that which lasts forever. Always the music and vocal integrity match the implied events and ideas of Rosen’s lyrics.
A touch of blues lights up the catchy and heartbroken Don’t Care, before I Love You lifts the mood and takes us back to the colourful positivity of something like Taylor meets a Dawson’s Creek soundtrack.
Other highlights include the sultry transition from Lover into Lone Wolf, a mellow and intimate groove grounding the latter, with acoustic guitar and a country twang helping secure contemplative poetry and isolation.
There’s also a boldly evocative big finish for the impassioned Nobody Else, before the lighter escapism of Open Road lets you settle into your own memories and feelings for a while. In every case, Mandy’s voice is perfectly adapted, versatile and honest, and genuinely brings out the very best in these scenes and stories.
See You In My Dreams is a heart-wrenching piano ballad, with uncertain, shaky vocals aptly depicting a heavy sense of missing someone. Then for Uncle Lenny, a quirky folk-country guitar track of short lines and gripping scenes completely redirects things.
To finish, those country twangs meet with lashings of reverb, as our protagonist invites us to dreamily Walk With Me, through positive imagery, scenes and musicianship that naturally soothes the mood of the room. A warming finish, for an album that feels timeless yet unmistakable, thanks to the unexpected power and lasting prowess of a well-matched collaboration.
Find Dr. Steven Rosen on Instagram & his Website. Find Mandy May Blest on Instagram & her Website.
