CD of The Month: Clara May

When you try to image the musicial union of a Malaysian-born filmmaker, corporate executive and a Harvard-trained theologian and writer, it is hard to visualize what sounds they might make. After listening to the debut album Hush from Tom Silva and Nicole Sotelo (Clara May) I can tell you it sounds like Tom Jones if he had a conscious and sang in a small coffeehouse. This is an album with cares deeply about society and through the compassion explores themes of identity, racism, and ethnic conflicts. The main vocalist on the album in Tom Silva and his deep vocals add a dramatic weight the topics he choses to sing about. The duo, since neither play an instrument, enlisted the of producer and guitarist Phillip Amerson and several other musicians. The album is not all protest and fight, but is a mixture of anthems, ballads, pop, and yes, protest. The album is epic and heartfelt, and Clara May will be donating 10% of its profits to charity.