On Science for Girls’ self-titled debut album, producer Darren Solomon, is complemented by a roster full of guest vocalists. Solomon’s chilled out lounge compositions take the listener from Brazil to Stratford-Upon-Avon, airlifted by the soulful and ethereal voices of singers Bronwen Exter, Renee Cologne and Hugh Wilson, among others. It’s a testament to Solomon’s skills as a composer that there’s so much variety on the album. The album opens with “14 Days,” a remembrance of a Manhattan intersection and a love affair that sounds a lot like Everything But the Girl. “Sonnet 96” shows off Solomon’s skills on the piano. William Rottman sings/recites Shakespeare’s lines against a mix of skittering beats and electronic keyboards. Once the voice finishes, Solomon’s dramatic and swooning piano takes over. Jean Rohe adds her voice to a downtempo cover of Barry Manilow’s “Sweet Life,” a nod to one of Solomon’s former gigs: playing keyboards with Mr. Manilow. “Australia” is the one track that doesn’t quite belong. It sounds almost like a jingle, and serves as the link between Science for Girls and Solomon’s other job, writing music for films and advertisements. It would be easy and predictable to dismiss Solomon because of this career path, but a few years writing tunes about flip-flops and M&Ms can lead to a phosphorescent song about a gritty corner in New York City—one that comes with a collection of other tracks that capture the loneliness and beauty of this new era.
– L.M.B.
Science for Girls: www.scienceforgirls.net