Eleni Mandell Issue #39

Artificial Fire

By Callye Morrissey
Published: March 1st, 2009 | 2:32pm

Los Angeles singer-songwriter Eleni Mandell has been on the cusp of mainstream success too many times in her career, and it’s finally time for the multi-talented songstress to get her due. Sure, she’s been named by the LA Weekly as the city’s best songwriter, but with Artificial Fire — her seventh album — Mandell’s name will no doubt start popping up in nationwide press. And after making music for more years than most of today’s indie bands have been together, she could certainly use some major props.

While past albums have garnered modest attention for their country, jazz, and folk leanings, Artificial Fire cannot be classified as anything but pure songwriting aptitude that dabbles in genres past and present. Her sometimes sexy, always intriguing voice seamlessly ranges from total rock numbers, as on “Cracked,” to slower, whimsical tracks, such as “Tiny Waist.” Such a wide range of styles appears within the tracks, it’s clear that Artificial Fire is capable of attracting a broad new audience for Mandell. It’s about time.