Woman at Work
by: bill aicher

Australian Astrid Munday recently sent us a copy of her self-titled album. We are glad she did. What we found when we listened to it was perhaps one of the best works by any female artist in recent years. It is definitely well above what we expected.

The sound is a mix of acoustic guitars, electronic sound effects, synthesizers, and all the other amenities found within your basic rock band. The difference is found in the way it is all put together. It is beautiful. Now, this beauty may be due in part to the instrumentation, but Munday's vocals are the shining star of this work. She offers up a sweet voice, a vibrant mesmerizing dish sure to satisfy anyone's ears. The backing and doubling of the vocals makes her sound haunting at times, yet uplifting at others.

The album starts off with an upbeat piece called "Speed of Light" that gets the ball rolling. Once the album starts, it doesn't stop, it just slows down in parts to offer some retrospect. At other points it speeds back up to bring the listener back to present day. When she wants to, she can even get you to look to the future. The album is a mix of emotions. Perhaps the most fitting track to sum up the album is "Then & Now."

This album is great. I am happy to have a copy of it. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in quality music. She definitely deserves a deal with a major label. I would love to see her succeed - she deserves it.