Madison's Lorieanna amps up her rocker side on this four-song follow-up to her 2010 debut, The Long Way. Bravely, she ventures out to musical terrain not built around acoustic piano.
That's especially true on the title track. "Sparkle" is fueled by driving percussion and earnest electric guitar, underscoring the song's call to rise above self-doubt and discover your potential. Instead of carrying the song's melody, Lorieanna's keyboard dresses up the mood with a minor-key riff.
Jim Bedrosian's guitar and Charles Goodwin's percussion keep the tempo upbeat on "Heavily." Lyrically, the song speaks to fighting off the unseen forces that would bring us down.
The disc concludes on a delicate note. "Too Far to Run" is a reflective ode to a complicated relationship. Lorieanna's electric keyboard gives the song a soft-rock feel.
Self-realization is a recurrent lyrical theme, and musically, LorieAnna walks that walk. Sparkle finds her shrugging off a songwriting formula in favor of a new, intriguing voice.
