Norah Jones and
Lauryn Hill are touchstones for the sound of
MoZella, but this genre-spanning singer/songwriter is less precious than
Jones and more subdued than
Hill. With a love for stinging couplets and pop-dramatic moments that
Coldplay would approve of,
MoZella is even harder to pin down and the mere five songs on her debut EP don't paint a full picture of this obviously deep artist. If the EP is meant to tease and drum up interest, it succeeds since both
MoZella's songwriting and delivery are a rare combination of naked and bold. Highlights are hard to pick since all five of these songs are equally excellent and your favorite will depend on whether you're feeling sexy, introspective, or bitter. Producer
Jude Cole does a wonderful job of balancing the chamber jazz and heady soul styles
MoZella flirts with, and at five tracks, the EP ends long before the listener's interest. ~ David Jeffries