Mood Swing is composer/pianist Becky Archibald’s fifth album to date, and, like her previous releases, it’s an eclectic mix of jazz and classical stylings, with a little rock thrown in for fun. I’ve been a big fan of Becky Archibald’s original and distinctive music for a number of years. A lot of solo piano albums easily fade into the background, creating a warm ambiance, but Archibald’s music is often big, bold, and gutsy. She is also capable of breaking hearts with a tender, soulful melody. I love her versatility and the way she lets the listener in on the creative process and inspiration for each piece in the liner notes. Becky Archibald and her award-winning music deserve much broader recognition, and Mood Swing just might do it for her. Eleven of the fourteen tracks are solo piano; the last three are ensemble versions of songs that also appear as solos and are fascinating examples of how much adding one or more musicians can change the interpretation of a piece of music. Mood Swing is an outstanding album from start to finish, certain to touch your heart, put a big smile on your face, and get your toes to tappin’.

When Becky Archibald learned that she was going to perform her debut concert at Carnegie Hall in 2006, she set out to write a new piece each month. One of those pieces, “September,” opens the CD. Melancholy and introspective at the beginning, the piece goes much darker and more intense in the middle section, ending on a more playful note - reflective of working through some of life’s struggles. “Unspoken” is one of my favorites. Begun as a dare to herself to compose a piece beginning with five notes pulled from a hat, Archibald was shocked by how bad those notes sounded. Tempted to add notes that sounded better, Archibald decided to stick to her challenge. Once she embraced the tension of the dissonance of those notes, the piece started making more sense to her. Very dark and moody with a mysterious air, it is also deeply passionate. “Waltz” was inspired by a master class where an assignment was given to begin a piece in a nonchalant way, make the second movement eerie, and the third terrifying. This is a fun piece that does all of that flawlessly. “Spring” appears as both a piano solo and a duet with cello - both are sensual and elegant, becoming big and discordant in the middle, returning to a gentler theme in the third section. “A Really Mean Boogie-Woogie” is another favorite. I love this style of jazz, and Archibald does it up proud. “What Might Have Been” was the product of Archibald’s feelings about the election results of 2004 - sorrow and anger spill out of the piano as it overflows with emotion. (I felt the same way, Becky!) “Rocktober” is the antithesis of the previous piece - fun and funky, demonstrating that Archibald isn’t just about jazz and classical music. I like this one a lot, too! “A Song in the Key of DAVE” was composed in honor of a dear friend who passed away, and the tangle of emotions that comes at those times is clearly expressed. The closing track is a soulful piano and muted trumpet duet of “Out of the Blue” that leaves the listener wanting more. A great album!

Mood Swing is available from www.beckyarchibald.com, amazon.com, and cdbaby.com. Highly recommended!