Lynne Taylor Donovan: “I Don’t Wanna Mention Any Names” – a chiseling and heartfelt performance!
There is a soothing, bluesy vantage point that runs like a zip-line overlooking much of the single “I Don’t Wanna Mention Any Names”, giving the powerhouse singer Lynne Taylor Donovan ample use of her voice. Capable of higher-than-heaven glory notes, Donavan also knows how to hit for a nuance and textured delivery, often inflecting this work with jazz and traditional phrasing. This latest release is one of her finer moments, soaked in heartfelt lyrical examination under the cloak of a late-night-type piano excursion.
Lynne Taylor Donovan’s portrayal of angst and unbridled longing is more delicate and caked with wisdom. A fully grown woman, it is appropriate the song unravels like a cherished novel, whose pages are torn and weathered but contain the knowledge and memory of experience.
Donavan’s voice, too, is more confident, unafraid of reaching a breaking point and cracking with emotion. It is those soulful ‘imperfections’ which make for an authentic and great storyteller.
In many ways, she’s now a legendary veteran in the Canadian country scene, but she doesn’t let the current state of terrestrial radio, the industry or anything else stop her from stretching her creative wings.
She will not be boxed and shapes her story arc with warmth, rawness, totally honesty and inescapable charm. While “I Don’t Wanna Mention Any Names” feels like a classic track, the material pushes the singer into compelling and moody territory fit for 2017.
First and foremost, Donovan’s heart pours forth onto the recording. The theme is centered on a high school reunion and all the romantic implication it holds for tangled hearts lost and found – “I’ve got a secret my poor old heart can keep, praying for the day that you’ll come back to me. I don’t want to mention any names…”
A rather chiseling and heartfelt performance where Donovan’s expressive nature is prized above all else and framed around a shimmery piano-driven arrangement, infused with blues, country and even jazz vibrations.
On “I Don’t Wanna Mention Any Names”, Lynne Taylor Donovan shows how effective she can be when she digs deep into a musical arrangement. The timelessness of her voice and superb taste shown in the using thereof reveal that Donovan remains an artist of the first order.
Her voice oozes sultriness and you can even imagine her as some femme fatale singing in a smoky bar room somewhere. This is a great addition to any playlist; it has all the ingredients of what is essentially a love song…with a twist.
