THE BEST IS YET TO COME is Laura Fygi's 12th solo album. I remember discovering her around her first album and being blown away, and here I am more than fifteen years later and I still feel entranced by her. While at first she just seems to be channeling her idol Julie London, I think now she has a sound and confidence all her own. I do think the real stars of this album are the big band arrangements. Jan Menu and Johan Plomp have constructed arrangements that pay tribute to classic arrangements of Billy May and his ilk, while making these songs still sound fresh. It is always a treat to hear songs you have heard thousands of time and feel like you are hearing them for the first time. I especially like the languid take on "The Good Life," the melancholy lilt of "Smile," the briskness of "Too Darn Hot." Don't think for a moment, though that they overshadow Laura's big, breathy vocals. There's an appealing huskiness now in her voice which enhances her cool school styling, although Laura is much too engaged to be the modern Julie London. No more comparisons - Laura Fygi now is Laura Fygi.
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