Dan Wilkie’s sixteen-song album, "MelodyBox," arrives not with a neat bow but feeling more like an overstuffed cabinet of curiosities flung open by its Shefford-based creator. Wilkie, working solo as a multi-instrumentalist and producer, wrangles virtual instruments and real vulnerability into something uniquely his own, steeped in the melodic hooks of 60s/70s pop but often taking sharp turns down less-travelled, sometimes shadowed paths. https://open.spotify.com/album/0EX2aW7d7JSQ2xonrFDGvZ?si=XRwACPuoRW2vG_PAITRfyg The album...

By eliminating potential sources of distraction, he succeeded in his goal of making this song compelling and interesting. The new single "Cherry," featuring the seductive singing of French vocalist Kenri Louis, is the fruit of his labor. The audience is more likely to be transported into another world when listening to music that mixes sensuality and captivating vocals. That's the song's first redeeming feature. Deep understanding is...