Abra’s Uplifting Ambience:
GRAMMY™ winner Abra Moore dives into her musical roots with recent album “On the Way”

by Priscilla Lombardi- 11/07
NEIRAD enilno edition

Click here to watch Abra Moore video

Abra Moore, Indie alternative-rock, and former Grammy nominee singer and songwriter is not just another new face in the music industry. At age 38, Moore has earned a GRAMMY™ nomination for her hit single, “Four leaf clover” from her album Strangest Places in 1997. In June, Sarathan Records released her 5th and most recent album, On The Way.
On the Way, considered one of Moore’s best albums and her personal progression from previous albums, is about life’s journey unfolding in all its mystery, agony, and majesty. It combines a group of heartfelt, sound-scape tunes that altogether distinguish the ethereal Abra Moore from other Indie artists. Moore believes On the Way was the one album that truly enabled her to be at ease in her own skin and voice. Her wispy and hollow vocals and poetic lyrics pursue ideals of romanticism and appease the soul. With the fitting balance of the instrumental keyboard tune, along with the gracefulness of the piano, prominence of her acoustic guitar, and the light tranquility of the percussion beat, each one of Moore’s unique songs embraces her musical intentions for this album. “It’s not ego-based; it’s not about making a stand. It’s about flowing through and capturing exactly where I was in life when I wrote these songs,” Moore asserts.
The songs contained on the album, such as “Sorry” and “You” emphasize the smooth and slow pop-jazz vibe with the intermix of Moore’s soft and echoic vocals.“I Believe”, although an uplifting, louder, and faster pace melody, still maintains the earthly warm essence album portrays. Even though the subtle mood of her songs does not “jump out and grab you” as would a hit single, the alleviating theme and poetic lyrics are rightly suitable to Moore’s current stage in her musical career.  
“Making this record I found the sweet balance,” states Moore regarding her latest album. “My life is good and happy. These songs are little snapshots of where I’m at. I tried to capture and present these experiences as honestly as I could. If you just stay honest and true, you’ll connect with the listeners. You become part of their lives. That’s a privilege you can’t take for granted.”
The confectionary and flowery lyrics that are prominent in the album's namesake song, “On the Way” are considered a masterpiece of the mood because they reflect Moore’s innocence in a slow, simple, and repetitive love song. Moore leisurely begins this song with, "On the way to your house, I feel new, I feel color, I’m with you." The relaxing and therapeutic harmony of the jazzy flugelhorn and piano backup makes it challenging to distinguish the horns from the hum of Moore’s languid voice. Amplifier Magazine stated, “Like Joni Mitchell and Sarah McLachlan, Abra Moore has a special way of evoking a tranquil, sensuous mood, quietly seducing her listeners with her music’s haunting lilt and swoon.”
“Sugarite” a beautifully haunting song of remembrance, begins with Moore’s quiet wailing, but is actually the liveliest song on the album. Moore sings, “Sugarite, Sugarite, you’re deep in my soul, Sugarite, Sugarite, I’m already home.” The forest-like setting in the music video of “Sugarite” opens with the impression of one driving on a winding road at night. The video captures her at ease with the colorful atmosphere of the environment, and includes the essence of vintage black and white screen shots from Moore walking through fields of sunflowers to Moore sitting on a wooden bench playing her guitar in the forest. Images of a young prairie girl, who is most likely, Sugarite also appears regularly throughout the video.
As a former model Moore felt more in place with composing music than with strutting down the runway. Raised in a Bohemian household in Puna, Hawaii with strong jazz influences, Moore sang in churches and later began, what became her singing career through a small band called Poi Dog Pondering. She later moved to Los Angeles in 1988, but left the band to pursue a solo career. Her first album in 1995 was entitled Sing, but later recorded her hit album, Strangest Places two years later, embellishing music and entertainment as her career. She is now living in Austin, Texas.
Although the songs in On the Way may not make it to the top charts, the songs are organized in a way that capture the enchanting epitome of great film or novel. Abra Moore’s womanly vocals lack the typical hard music edge. Since each song embellishes her relaxing vocals, Moore’s songs are much more powerful than the typical pop-Indie genre. The calm nature of her songs will satisfy and ease any typical bad day.