There are those who sing and there are those who make music when they sing. Mina Alali falls into the latter division. On 22 Cents Less you hear a voice that is not only technically proficient, but is also emotionally in tune to the songs she sings. Her vocal colorization rivals any rainbow or hues on the painter’s palette. Mina Alali (http://www.minaalali.com) transcends the need for the de rigueur recording studio electronic voice processing tools so commonly used today in post-production, and instead, she simply appears to sing from her soul.

But, 22 Cents Less is far from perfect and indeed has its faults. While the production and arrangements are earnest they are also somewhat dated sounding. Nothing of what you hear in those areas of the recordings are done poorly, it’s just that they’re not really original and somewhat clichéd. They’re ideas that never break new ground, or tread upon new territory, nor color outside the lines, and that’s a shame. 

Where 22 Cents Less also falls a bit short, is unfortunately, in the songwriting. Like the aforementioned arrangements and production it’s all played on the way too safe side. With that being said there is enough of a glimmer of promise in the 8 songs that make up this collection that would lead any listener to conclude that Alali’s compositional skills are still in the developmental process, and as time goes by it will be a talent she’ll hopefully hone and perfect. After all, she is still only in her teens.

It’s her voice that’s the glue which holds 22 Cents Less together. Mina Alali is a work in progress and she’s serious about turning her talents into a career. As a freshman at the Berklee College of Music she’ll have an opportunity to gain the experience from instructors and fellow students that a musician may employ to succeed in today’s entertainment industry. I don’t need a crystal ball to predict that if she keeps at it, that pretty darn soon, she’ll have 100% of what it takes to be dropping hit records like a superstar.