(26 October 2008) Singer/songwriter Laura DeLallo blends rock, folk, R&B and pop songs in her album What Do I Know? (Laura DeLallo (USA) 6 16892 88732, 2007). She incorporates bouncing rhythms with her strong, dynamic vocals. She has been influenced by diverse musician styles such as Ani Difranco, Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin, Dave Matthews, and Toots and the Maytals to name just a few. Besides her own EP and two full-length albums, Laura is featured playing drums and guitar on several other recordings. Her first full-length CD, The Whole Truth, has seen successful internet sales through iTunes and other digital distribution outlets.

Laura performs lead vocals and plays guitar. She hails from Stamford, Connecticut and has an active tour schedule with her band. The rest of her band includes John Eurell on guitar; Suzen Carson on backing vocals and percussion; Steve Werner on bass; and Chris Calabrese on drums. Joe Sirico joins the group on bass in several songs. Laura hooked up with the album’s drummer, Chris Calabrese, and guitarist, John Eurell in 2001. They recorded an album as Hieroglyph and achieved some local success. Bassist Steve Werner and backing vocalist/percussionist Suzen Carson of The Susans joined shortly before production of the new CD, but the fivesome developed in undeniable chemistry immediately.

Since the age of nine, Laura has been playing numerous instruments including trumpet, violin, clarinet, drums and guitar. She focussed her studies on the guitar which culminated in her expertise with intricate rhythms as shown in many of her songs. Her musical passion shines through her lyrics, vocals and energetic musical style. She has been exciting crowds from the Northeast to the Midwest with her passionate voice and steady string play for over ten years.

Her opening track "Wait For Love" is a vibrant song that is the perfect platform for her powerful voice. The song is quite upbeat and pop filled. She has a very earthy feel to her engaging sound. It's clear why "More Than Just A Friend" was chosen to appear on the Music Independence Summit Connection compilation CD, Let Me Be Heard. Her folksy flair and strumming guitar has a catchy tune and is down-to-earth. She speaks to the heart through her lyrics that resonate to all.

"When I Fall Again" follows in the same vein as the previous track with her strong, clear vocals, talking about life and love. She transitions to a country/folksy sounding pop song, "Good Friends, Bad Wine," that is vibrant and finds hopefulness in relationships. The underlying percussive beat combined with Laura's straight-shooting vocals makes this melody memorable. Simple acoustic guitar opens the gentler "Two Girls." The next track, "Meant To Meet In Heaven" is another bluesy folk tune that talks about waiting for love, and how life keeps carrying on.

In "Noticing Me" she discusses more lovelorn situations. Her lyrics "I swore I noticed you noticing me last night" is a circumstance all of us have experienced. She picks up the pace in "Fall To Pieces" with a rocking beat and her genuine, clear-cut vocals. More introspective lyrics permeate "Feel The Light." She expresses herself with a beautiful, sultry voice that relates questioning and yearning.

"Bring Me Down" has a mesmerizing beat that oozes energy. Laura's singing has a soulful sound in the pop song. Her cover, "Kiss," by Prince is a vibrant effort that puts her stamp on this piece. She closes with "Faithfully." This song continues to engage the listener with its strong and powerful rhythmic sound.

What Do I Know? is an enjoyable collection that features Laura DeLallo's powerful vocals combined with buoyant pop, bluesy and folk melodies. She succeeds in touching on life experiences through her upbeat melodies as well as through the mellow moments. On the whole, this CD is full of verve and earthiness, although more diversity would help avoid a samey sound.--Audrey Elliot in New York