Artificial Fire

"Eleni Mandell is an artsy singer-songwriter who mines the underbelly of the Los Angeles scene with a strong appreciation for the craft of Tom Waits and Rickie Lee Jones. While she never veers that far to the extreme, Mandell does favor the twisted guitar lines, the noir-like slink, and the nightclub seediness that adds a layer of grit to these poetically charged compositions that slip from narrative into mysticism (""God Is Love""). With a consistent backing group that gives her a reliable rhythm section and guests that include X drummer D.J. Bonebrake on vibes and singer Inara George, Mandell creates a swell of sound that peaks with the horn-punctuated strut of ""Right Side,"" the '60s-pop inflection of ""Little Foot,"" the tough punk brawn of ""Cracked,"" and the smooth, elliptical flow of ""Personal"" where Mandell walks between the raindrops of the luxurious orchestration of cello, violin and viola. Her music doesn't immediately grab and shake anyone, but slowly seeps into the atmosphere where it feels right at home with a warm, ominous night."