Rebecca Pidgeon’s first album in three years portrays more of her sensual, seductive style, one that reflects a Sunday morning sound and a somewhat overcast aura that dissipates only on occasion. Pidgeon, who’s also gained fame for her acting portfolio and the fact she’s married to playwright David Mamet, supplies the soundtrack for the film “Redbelt,” much of which extracted for Behind the Velvet Curtain, but any thematic thread is difficult to discern. In fact, the album is so uniformly low-key that any change in tempo or tone becomes practically non-existent. To her credit, she’s recruited an impressive roster of musicians to back her up – producer/bassist Larry Klein, guitarist Dean Parks, steel guitar player Greg Leisz among them – but Pidgeon’s wispy, willowy sway finds the proceedings rarely rising above a whisper (think Norah Jones at her most nocturnal). The only time Pidgeon and company gather any modicum of am upbeat tick is when they turn up the tempo on, appropriately, “That’s Life, That’s Hollywood” and a somewhat spunky cover of the Beach Boys’ “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” Otherwise, consider this a rather drowsy digression. (Hot Milk Records)
