Shanghai

Sure seems like there are 13 on the cover, but 12 Girls Band's 2007 effort Shanghai is an otherwise straightforward release that doesn't differ much from their earlier albums. There's the usual combination of showy, intense, and fast music that shows off how technically talented these musicians are -- of which, the opening "Glory" is by far the best -- along with some traditional or traditional sounding Asian music and a handful of woefully syrupy pop covers. Covering "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic at this late date seems like throwing in the towel as far as original crossover ideas go. On the other hand, taking on the tricky jazz standard "Take Five" is a much more inspired idea and the playing follows accordingly. While a little more lively and a little less lush would have helped this effort seem a lot less sugar-coated, fans of this group's more sentimental and romantic music will probably prefer this release over the rest of their catalog. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide