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Paul Cullen: Dreamdance

By Keith Hannaleck

Artist: Paul Cullen
Title: Dreamdance
Genre: Adult Contemporary-Pop-Jazz
Label: Dreamdance Music
Website: www.paulcullen.net
Myspace Site: www.myspace.com/paulcullenmusic
Purchase this CD: CD Baby

After listening to Paul Cullen’s new release Dreamdance I had a hard time envisioning him as the former bass player for the rock legends Bad Company. He has an interesting story; after departing from the band in the early 90s he decided to take control of his career, taught himself how to play guitar and took singing lessons, and here we are with an appealing solo album that grabbed me right from the first track. I cannot speak for everyone, but that’s the way this CD affected me and I suspect there will be many other listeners that will feel the same way. Right from the first cut I felt relaxed and enchanted, and I was able to hold on to that feeling until the album concluded.

The title cut has you dream dancing on the clouds with its airy backdrop of keyboards, guitar and rhythm. Cullen has a smooth and pleasing voice; he soothingly invites you into his world with a lucid and succinct vocal style. He sings about women and love, a subject that never seems to wear out its welcome. If you’re a hopeless romantic, and whether you show it or not, this kind of album is something to play when you want to get closer to your partner and become intimate, allowing the music to guide you down that path.

Different styles get a workout on this CD. Cullen explores elements of jazz and Latin blended with calming pop for an uplifting adult contemporary sound. “Dreamdance”, “And We Danced” and “Sometimes” would be my choices for airplay if I were a DJ and had first crack at this CD. “And We Danced” and “Sometimes” have hard to ignore hooks running through them and Cullen does a great job with his vocals by getting in total sync with music that is just as catchy and attention-grabbing. There are some nice acoustic guitar runs throughout this recording, particularly with the Latin jazz flavor in the tracks. This one exacting element is predominant as the pop weaves its way through to give each song an exceptional balance and appeal that will reach out grab a varied group of listeners.

This is “curl up by the fire with a glass of wine” music and the cover does a good job suggesting that you do just that, and you know what? I think it will work.

Reviewed - September 27, 2007

Tracks:

01. Dreamdance
02. Sara
03. Forever Blue
04. Mama
05. Summer Nights
06. And We Danced
07. Friends Don't Kiss
08. Sometimes
09. Goodbye My Love
10. Tango De Havana

About the Author:

Keith Hannaleck, known as “MuzikMan” is a Journalist specializing in independent and major music reviews and the promotion of artists via the various media outlets flourishing online. He has worked closely with artists, management, publicity directors, and webmasters to provide some of the best and far-reaching coverage an artist could have. Focusing primarily on the internet as a medium for his work, Keith has been a pioneer in the industry changing the way a reviewer with his various talents are used by many artists, PR folks, and labels. He has provided strong and valuable work to labels, artists, and publicity people, writing reviews, press releases, and biographies and much more over the years, giving the people he works with the maximum amount of exposure through several top-notch websites that post his content on their sites.

Hannaleck built and maintained his own website in 1998 while networking and building his reputation through thousands of reviews and interviews, creating a special niche for himself. Through many years of dedication and hard work, he has reached a respected level of competence and knowledge that is frequently sought by the music industry today. Known for his speaking from the heart interpretations of music and being able to put it in layman’s terms for music fans, his work is found everywhere in cyberspace and in traditional print media, from press kits to quotes from reviews in magazine advertisements.