Sunday, May 10, 2009

"Ultimate I & B" by Zhonray (Easy Listening Artist from The United Kingdom)

The 70's ushered in a genre – soft rock, to take the place that easy listening once described: relaxed, polished and melodious music for adults who preferred their background music comfortably familiar. The soft rock moniker eventually gave way to adult contemporary but the aesthetic remained the same. "Ultimate I & B," a veritable "best of" CD (compiled from 3 previous albums) by Zhonray is a fine example of this genre, reminding listeners of adult contemporary finest practitioners (Air Supply, Seals & Crofts, America, etc) without losing its own identity. Lush synthesizer flourishes on "In the Shadow of Fallen Love," while Zonhray delivers spare and tasteful guitar fills such as the Spanish guitar runs on "Golden Sands." Take note of the subtle conga interpolations on "Blossom Hill," or relax to the sounds of nature on "Summer Rain," or even a hint of Chris Isaaks-like tremolo guitar "Shine Your Smile on Me." Zonhray swathes its sedate tunes of the trials and triumphs of love and romance on their "Ultimate I & B" CD in arrangements that go down like the proverbial taste of honey.

-Rice B. and the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Zhonray's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

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