Adrianne's vocals are the heart of the songs on 10,000 Stones, and they bring out the moods and emotions of the lyrics. The music tends to run on the barebones side of things, but it swells to match her voice.

Love of the falling is given voice in "Shooting Star," and the song is driven and passionate. The weight of the burdens we carry comes home in "10,000 Stones," and her voice gives measure to the weight. The mood brightens for "Love to You," a passionate love song that is not entirely safe. It arcs into "Feel You Breaking," which takes the love from being given to being received.

She returns to "New Kind of Cool" with quiet strength and determination. And once again the songs turn to love in "When She Takes" and what one gains from another. Then, there is the inevitably of the fall in "Comets" as the tempo underscores what will be. "Hurricane" is strongly connected to the previous song by imagery, feel and the sound the music gives it.

There is wistfulness in the lyrics of "Dream of Rome" that is matched in the music and Adrianne's voice as she sings of the dual desires of being noticed and being elsewhere. The wistfulness turns to pain in "December" as what is hoped for and what comes to pass are so far apart. "Strange" is a mix of hope and fears, of being outside and far from home. The hope fades in "Just Can't Wait" as love doesn't always end when the person leaves. But it ends in hope and strength with the quiet determination of "Free."

10,000 Stones is about life and the sometimes rough, sometimes wonderful, often mixed-up edges that come from relationships and sometimes just living. Adrianne has put together another solid CD where the songs connect and build to give added push to the final words.

by Paul de Bruijn
Rambles.NET
17 February 2007

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