Janiva Magness
The Devil is an Angel Too
Alligator Records
|
It’s a testament to the fire that burns within
Janiva Magness’ soul that she continues to hone her
craft, to continue to give performances that satisfy
her need to share both her pain and happiness with
the world. That’s the premise of her new disc on
Alligator Records, The Devil is an Angel Too. This
is a great disc, so let’s give it a spin.
The title track is up first. And we’re not sure
who’s knocking on Janiva’s door. Is it the devil?
Perhaps an angel? Let’s find out. Whoever it is,
he’ll definitely have to pass muster before he gets
in the door. “You look just like an angel…sounds so
bright and true…seems so sweet…coming down my
street…you know the devil is an angel too!” The
truth never really comes out so let’s move on to our
next cut, “I’m Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down.” Here
we’ve got a player whose moves aren’t going to work
on Janiva the same way they’ve worked on others. “I
got news for you baby…hope it don’t hit you too
hard…one of these days…when you’re out playing…I’m
going to catch you all gone…I’m gonna tear…your
playhouse down!”
But every once in awhile, Janiva
lets her guard down and that’s what happens in
“Slipped, Tripped and Fell in Love.” “When you touch
me…I just lose control…I’m finding myself…baby…I’m
wanting more…more….more…slipped, tripped and fell in
love when you slipped your love on me!”
“Birds flying high…you know how I feel…sun up in the
sky…you know how I feel…breeze drifting on by…you
know how I feel….it’s a new dawn…it’s a new day…it’s
new life for me…yeah!” Janiva lets us know in “I’m
Feelin’ Good” that things are looking up and she’s
excited to be moving forward in her life. Another
slow ballad, “Weeds like Us,” written by her husband
Jeff Turmes is up next. “Every day is an act of
will…weeds like us are hard to kill…weeds like us
are so hard to kill….I lost touch with you one
day…watched you walk away from me…believe I failed
you some way…let you go too easily.” Whatever the
circumstances were that caused him to walk away…both
he and Janiva are survivors that will live another
day…cause….”weeds like us are hard to kill.”
Up next
is “Walkin’ in the Sun” and things are starting to
look up for Janiva. “I’ve been walking in the dark
long enough to know…I finally seen the light…I’ve
been losing enough to know…when I find the one…even
a blind man can tell…when he’s walking in the sun!”
Times have been hard for Janiva and it’s good to
hear her feeling good about the way thing are going.
Optimistic notes emanate from Zach Zunis’ guitar and
echo Janiva’s feelings of joy.
Our next cut, “End of Our Road,” finds Janiva
realizing it’s time to move on and leave this
particular man behind. “Oh darling…think about all
the nights…you let me at home lonely…you only did
it…cause you know I loved you only…running
around…with every girl in town…I’m telling you
boy…no longer will I be your clown…the road’s got to
end somewhere!” Janiva’s had enough and she’s
definitely moving on. “Save Me” is up next and finds
Janiva wanting to hang onto a relationship she knows
has run its course. “I know it’s over…what we had is
gone…I know I should let it go…and let you just move
on…I still keep searching for…some kind of way…to
hold on a little longer…don’t you think you
could….save me a little piece of your time?” Her
wish is to still occupy a place in his life and
that’s just not going to happen.
Fortunately, in “I
Want to do Everything for You,” Janiva has a man she
loves who loves her back. “I want to wake you every
morning with a….good morning kiss…I want to kiss you
to sleep the same way…cause I know you like this…I
want to do everything for you…cause that’s all that
a woman can do…she loves a man like I love you!”
This one’s obviously a keeper and Janiva’s doing
everything in her power to show him just how much
she truly loves him.
Gary Davenport’s strong bass line introduces our
next tune, “Your Love Made a U-Turn,” a situation
where the object of Janiva’s affection abruptly
changed his mind and left Janiva standing in the
street. What happened? Who knows but hopefully
Janiva will move on soon. Her bad luck continues
though in “Homewrecker.” “You look like…you could be
taken for family…but that’s your style…homewrecker…I
don’t know what came over me…that night…all I
know…once I had a key…I turned around…and lost
everything to you…homewrecker!”
The Devil is An
Angel Too closes with another song by Janiva’s
husband, Jeff, “Turn Your Heart in My Direction.”
“Point your heart in my direction…let it speak…all I
need for your affection…makes me weak…I will worry…I
will break…'til my will breaks like a wave…and I
listen…with a chasten enemy…send your heart in my
direction…like a prayer.” Janiva’s heart is
definitely reaching out for his and hopefully his
heart will turn in the right direction to make her
happy.
The Devil is An Angel Too is an outstanding disc by Janiva. Superb tunes, outstanding vocals and the
tremendous backing talents of her band all
contribute to what is arguably her finest disc to
date. Janiva tore the roof off of the Blues tent at
the Beale Street Music Festival performing her new
material, so track her down this festival season and
enjoy. It doesn’t get much better than this. Easily
in my top ten for the year and a disc that will
garner Janiva a number of BMA nominations at the end
of the year.
Well done, J!
--- Kyle Deibler