The Game by Alison Breitman

"I wanted to make a record that was reflective of my life at that moment - the relationships I was in, the music I was listening to, and the games I was playing."

The album, aptly titled The Game, does just that. A witty collection of 11 songs, The Game describes relationships in all forms - playful, contentious, unrequited, sexual, loving, and newly born. Both tough and vulnerable, it is an edgy portrayal of a girl taking encounters into her own hands, turning the tables, and playing the games we all know so well.

Alison is no stranger to these experiences she describes in her lyrics. Born in the suburbs of Chicago and raised in Long Island, New York, Alison learned early on to combine the tough, free-speaking attitude of New York with a Midwestern sweetness. Not afraid to show her vulnerability, she expresses her emotions with abandon - in tune with listeners' desires to connect and empathize with an artist and music. Her ever-evolving style has adopted the edge that wisdom has provided through the years, and it carries into the theme and feel of The Game, making it a compelling listen.

Expressing emotion through music comes easily to Alison, who has been singing since the age of four. Classically trained throughout her schooling, she tested her skills in various forms of performance: opera, musical theater, and contemporary folk. Bearing the cold and snow, Alison ventured to the University of Michigan where she studied music and psychology. It was there that she expanded her musical strengths, teaching herself to play the guitar. She soon discovered a penchant for songwriting. A poet at heart, Alison finally had a vocal outlet for her intense writings. The songs, a selection of ten written between 1996 and 1998, make up her debut album, The Good Person's Angel (recorded and released in August 2001).

Alison returned home to New York in 2000, where she has been working steadily at her craft. She finds her inspiration in her everyday life and from the lively city around her, which goes directly to her songs and fuels her live performances. The embodiment of her passion for her art and the honesty of her experiences make her a powerful watch. Audiences are riveted, offering pin-drop silence during a song and rousing applause afterward. Never one to play the same show twice, Alison regularly keeps her fans surprised with new songs or revamped versions of older material. She is a presence on stage - a light many can relate to and admire with equal ease, who always keeps her listeners coming back for more.

With The Game tucked under her belt, Alison Breitman is poised for success as an artist with an incomparable voice and a whole lot to say. This is a different side of Alison, one that brings a new level of energy to an already impressive body of work.

And the future only promises to reveal even more facets of this intriguingly complex and admirably talented woman.

Average Customer Review: