A Day at the Beach

Memorable melodies abound on this sadly overlooked 1995 release from Sonia Dada. Telling tales from all walks of life, the soaring, soulful vocal harmonies of Sam Hogan, Michael Scott, and Paris Delane sail smoothly over the exceptional musicianship of their backing band. The multi-talented Dan Pritzker tackles the roles of guitarist, producer and main songwriter, bringing a musical depth and lyrical intelligence that is often lacking in catchy, groove-oriented pop/rock songs. While "The River Runs Slow" and "Wishing Tree" gently frame the bittersweet experience of love and family, "Screaming John" and "Amazing Jane" paint painfully glorious pictures of people living on the edge and on the street with poignant declarations such as "crazy is just another point of view." Tucked amidst these more heady pieces are the street corner, doo-wop story of getting clean down at "Lester's Methadone Clinic" and the romping adventures of "Anna Lee" and her man on the road and on the run. Aptly titled, A Day at the Beach is an enjoyable, easy musical journey with a band that evades labels by reveling in their amalgamation of soul, pop, rock, blues, and gospel.