Crystal Jacqueline is a British musician and vocalist who has fronted such bands as Burning Ice, Hot Spice, Daylights Burning, and is singer-keyboardist in The Honey Pots. According to her Facebook page, Crystal Jacqueline has completed her first album – Sun Dance (though I’m not sure if it’s been released yet). On her first FdM single she takes on a varied trio of covers.
If you only knew The Troggs for Wild Thing, then Cousin Jane would came as a surprise, being a gently whispering and lightly orchestrated polar opposite from their best known hit. Crystal Jacqueline hews closely to the spirit of the original but stretches out a bit musically. It’s orchestrated but less on the gentle side than the Troggs. I like the dark piano lead and surreal synth melody, and Jacqueline’s voice is perfectly suited to anything with a 60s flavor. Crystal Jacqueline next take the whimsical Prog-Psych of Second Hand’s 1968 song A Fairy Tale and gives it an edgier opening guitar segment, a much more psyched out solo later in the song, and makes it all happen at a faster and more energetic pace. My favorite of the three is Jacqueline’s take on The Rolling Stones’ Play With Fire, which in her hands is both hauntingly dreamy and intense. I love the combination of bubbly psych guitar leads, acoustic guitar, piano and spacey symphonic keys. Nice stuff. I’m intrigued and will be on the lookout for her full length album.
The single will be available mid-August, and as usual this is vinyl ONLY, no CDs or downloads. If interested you better hurry because Fruits de Mer releases sell out QUICK!
For more information visit the Fruits de Mer Records web site at: http://www.fruitsdemerrecords.com
Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz