Artistexclusive Records artist: Ana Popovic - Trilogy - New Release Review - Stilladog guest writer

Must be the Mississippi water. Belgrade born in the former Yugoslavia, now Serbia, and current resident of Memphis Tennessee, Ana Popovic has put together a blockbuster of a triple CD entitled Trilogy that boggles the mind! I don't know how to start this review. My good friend Bman asked me to review this album while he took a little vacation. And while the album is absolutely phenomenal, it is so unique and diverse I am having trouble finding words to describe it's diversity! The release comes in 3 parts, hence the title Trilogy. It is all of the description that Ana herself gives. 'In an era where most are skeptic about the current state and future of the music industry, I wanted TRILOGY to tell a different story. The record biz might be broken and Spotify might rip us off, but that can't keep an artist down. Creativity is very much alive, and music is the celebration of life.' Trilogy highlights in musicianship. And tell a different story it does! Instead of highlighting track by track like Bman usually does, well that is impossible with 23 total tracks, I'll just go disc by disc The first volume comes out with mostly blues rock with some very tasteful guitar by Ana until you hit track 4, Fencewalk. It's a high energy funk that'll drive you wild. That's when you realize this is not gonna be your normal release. The next track, Train, features Joe Bonamassa. This is where you realize that Joe is a much better contributor to other artists albums than he is with the incessant soloing that he does (and his fans demand) in his own shows and albums. Anyway, I love this volume and it's the weakest one in the set! Volume 2 hits the streets running with 'You Got The Love' another rocker that should attract fans of Bonamassa and other blues rockers. The second volume continues in this vein until you hit the semi-rap track Let's Do It Again. Then there's 'Who's Yo Mama' which is a total shred rocker instrumental where Ana absolutely annihilates rock riffs! The girl has got my attention! And it doesn't stop there. Wasted on My Way is an excellent blues ballad that follow it up This volume ends with a real blues, 'Cryin'For Me.' Volume 3 is a jazz infused celebration of a time when jazz and blues were more closely aligned. This is the kind of music I live to hear. There are too many good tracks to list individually. All I can say is two things. Go out and get all three volumes.