With 'Hey, Stranger', singer/songwriter Adrian Sicam breaks the rules of pop music by refusing to be neatly categorized. For starters, he includes the funky, euphoric spoken word piece, 'First Night, Wild Boar' (which owes it's sound to Beck as much as it does to Herbie Hancock) on the same album as the haunting Joni Mitchell-inspired ballad, 'Where Will You Be'. Adrian's voice, which is smooth and bright on the title track, 'Hey, Stranger', later turns rough- edged and caustic in 'So Low' and 'Change Your Mind'. Yet, through this spectrum of styles and moods, the nine songs on 'Hey, Stranger' reveal an underlying theme: learning to love and accept yourself as much as you would another. Featuring an outstanding line-up of Boston-area musicians, including Kemp Harris, Thaddeus Hogarth and Mark Shilansky, 'Hey, Stranger', is an exceptional showcase of fine song-writing and arranging, with many winning performances. Adrian Sicam is a dynamic artist who measures his growth by the nature of risks he takes and the variety of influences he explores. With 'Hey, Stranger' he has created a rich, complex, and, at times, playful self-portrait.
