REVIEW: Natural EP by Antonia Bennett
Both “Puttin’ On the Ritz” and “Love Is A Battlefield” bring memories of so many different voices trying on their mantles.
There are some songs such as “Careless Whisper”, “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” Pearl Jam’s “Immortality” which, for me, have the base strength to carry any style from any artist who cover them, whether religiously or with a profound sense of attempted blasphemy.
Puttin’ On The Ritz by Antonia Bennett
Love Is A Battlefield by Antonia Bennett
“Ritz” and “Battlefield” fall into that category. Class or clash, their original styles differ radically. Yet, they’re always treats and no less so in the voice of Antonia Bennett, who gives them a light, piano-heavy, jazz interpretation. Both are on her six-song debut jazz EP, Natural released yesterday alongside standards, “Soon” “The Thrill is Gone” “I Wish I Were In Love Again” and “I Fall To Pieces.”
You get a sense of some of Bennett’s connections within the music business knowing that this cover of “…Battlefield” is arranged by Holly Knight, who, along with Mike Chapman, originally wrote the song for Pat Benatar.
And yes, her father is Tony Bennett, who has brought his rich smooth cords to so much of America’s soundtrack -and still hasn’t worn out his welcome.
Both have been and continue to tour this year, with Antonia as the opening act.
There’s a certain minimalist sparsity to the songs on Natural, with a too delicate touch on the piano. Ms. Bennett is new to me, but this lightness is clear when contrasted to other songs you can hear from her forthcoming, self-described, pop CD. She comes alive and so do the new, original tunes.
It helps when one of the songs, “Pill” is downright evil, twisting the knife into the spent charcoal stump of a former relationship or a paramour, multiply spurned:
“f I could grab your hair and know you wouldn’t care. If I could pull that stick from out your derriere. If I could turn this into a love song … you know that I would.”
“We all want music that really grabs us and is meaningful,” says Antonia, in a news release. “I have opened up in a big way. This upcoming album contains an empowering message for for both men and women.”
There’s no date set for that release but if you’re looking for the ole’ Bennett range, as well as more sass and sexiness, it’ll be more satisfying to a broader audience.
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Well said. I agree with your take on her voice and her song selections (except for the part about how those two songs can carry off all attempts at interpretation). I'll be looking forward to the pop-version release, and in the meantime I'll be learning all the words to Pill.