2008 Woodie Awards
CD Review: Smashing the Ceiling
Christopher Forsyth
Issue date: 2/1/07 Section: A & E
- Page 1 of 1
Smashing the Ceiling the third album by multi-faceted music star Magdalen Hsu-Li puts the listener into a passionate world of spirituality, love, and conviction.
Magdalen Hsu-Li is a music artist of Asian American descent and bisexual orientation, something not very common within the industry. Hsu-Li has been a struggling music artist and songwriter for some time, but has found a passion within the arts as well.
She is also a public speaking figure. Her lectures touch base with many feminist, social, and cultural issues.
On January 24, Magdalen Hsu-Li performed at 12:00 p.m. at the Edgerten Theater, and held a lecture immediately afterwards called "Redefinition of Identity".
The lecture was a one-hour interactive "human interest" lecture exploring the search for "cultural identity" through her own personal history.
Hsu-Li is best known for her previous albums Fire and Evolution. Her third installment highlights her deep appreciation of life and the feelings of love as a part of someone else's life.
Her track, "Where would I be," is an ode to her lover for supporting her when she needed them the most. The song has a very pacific island acoustic sound.
"This is such a beautiful song, I love the way she talks about her confusion and uneasiness, but then just says I wouldn't have made it without my lover," said Kelly Crowley, sophomore, Middle Island, N.Y.
"All Those Words," a track with well-placed piano notes and drumbeats set the tone to a slow paced contemplative song. The song touches on fights you've had with loved ones and asks the question, "did you really mean what you said to me earlier?"
"This song is very relaxing and makes you think," said Robert Fogerite, sophomore, Albany, N.Y.
Her last track "Take Me There" is Hsu-Li's ode to music. She tells the listener that music is her eternal escape; she wants to be part of everything it is. She sings "and when my time comes may I be safely laid there," a testament to her love and devotion to music, and ultimately hoping that she can be one with it upon her death.
Magdalen Hsu-Li's third album has an array of life situations touched upon within each track. Whether it is something upbeat and positive or something very depressing and negative, listeners are sure to get a mix of both.
Magdalen Hsu-Li is a music artist of Asian American descent and bisexual orientation, something not very common within the industry. Hsu-Li has been a struggling music artist and songwriter for some time, but has found a passion within the arts as well.
She is also a public speaking figure. Her lectures touch base with many feminist, social, and cultural issues.
On January 24, Magdalen Hsu-Li performed at 12:00 p.m. at the Edgerten Theater, and held a lecture immediately afterwards called "Redefinition of Identity".
The lecture was a one-hour interactive "human interest" lecture exploring the search for "cultural identity" through her own personal history.
Hsu-Li is best known for her previous albums Fire and Evolution. Her third installment highlights her deep appreciation of life and the feelings of love as a part of someone else's life.
Her track, "Where would I be," is an ode to her lover for supporting her when she needed them the most. The song has a very pacific island acoustic sound.
"This is such a beautiful song, I love the way she talks about her confusion and uneasiness, but then just says I wouldn't have made it without my lover," said Kelly Crowley, sophomore, Middle Island, N.Y.
"All Those Words," a track with well-placed piano notes and drumbeats set the tone to a slow paced contemplative song. The song touches on fights you've had with loved ones and asks the question, "did you really mean what you said to me earlier?"
"This song is very relaxing and makes you think," said Robert Fogerite, sophomore, Albany, N.Y.
Her last track "Take Me There" is Hsu-Li's ode to music. She tells the listener that music is her eternal escape; she wants to be part of everything it is. She sings "and when my time comes may I be safely laid there," a testament to her love and devotion to music, and ultimately hoping that she can be one with it upon her death.
Magdalen Hsu-Li's third album has an array of life situations touched upon within each track. Whether it is something upbeat and positive or something very depressing and negative, listeners are sure to get a mix of both.
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