Whenever a debut album from a young artist features a cover, alarms are raised; having two remakes on a CD creates a roaring noise. On "Finding My Way," Raquel Aurilia (http://www.raquelaurilia.com) covers two classic-rock staples, Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" and Gary Wright's "Dream Weaver," creating all sorts of skepticism before the CD is even spun. But then came the shocker: This is a terrific record, sung and produced with class, packed with uplifting messages and a bright spirit.
As it turned out, the covers weren't necessary; Aurilia's material is strong enough to stand on its own. While the funky makeover of "For What It's Worth" is fine, the British group the Candy Skins already remade it with a contemporary groove in the early '90s, and one can tell that Aurlia's emotions aren't into "Dream Weaver" as much as she does the other tunes, especially "Where Was I," where her sparkling voice is given its best usage.
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"Feels Like" opens on sad notes but immediately takes flight; it's a Top-40 confection that actually has substance. The song that'll kill you is "The Need," a drop-dead beautiful piece of piano and strings that'll wrap their arms around the world with an exhilarating blast of hope.
Although not a Christian album, "Finding My Way" has the sound and feel of one with an immaculate studio sheen and an overall sense of good times ahead.
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