I’m a bit partial, simply because I’ve heard Julie Schreiber’s cuts “Tears in a Jar” and “Living” in live performance, but her vocals are the kind that just hit you where it counts! By that, I mean GOOSEBUMPS! Vocal range at its best, “Tears in a Jar” just haunts you with the story of the “morning after.”

My other personal favorites from this CD are Smurf’s rap cut, “Violated” and Melissa’s cut, “Sweet Innocence.” Smurf brings the harsh reality of rape to the forefront with his lyrics and really makes you sit up and take notice of what’s going on in the world. Graphic in the most positive way possible, “Violated” tells it like it is for so many teenage girls whose bodies are matured well beyond their years.

Melissa sounds to me like she’s ready for the big time. “Sweet Innocence” has a great R&B / Pop sound that keeps you singing right along and ready to dance. She’s got a strong voice that makes me just want to see her live to experience her energy. Fourteen years old? I gotta give it to her – this one’s a winner!

The other artists on this CD have also made some great contributions to this recording. “I Know What Kind of Love This Is” (The Nields) also gives a soul-shaking reality check on self esteem and sex. “Who I Am” (June Rich) is definitely on the healing and positive self-esteem tip. Like I said before, the lyrics are the key factor in this recording, so listen carefully!

Just to let you know some of the background on this recording project, it’s a major part of PCAR’s (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape) public awareness campaign about statutory rape, which is being funded in part by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. PCAR was established in 1975 and has 54 sexual assault crisis centers across the state. PCAR offers free and confidential crisis counseling and focuses on the rights and needs of victims. You can access the PCAR website at www.pcar.org for more information on statutory rape

Several songs from the Pulse CD were written especially for the project, while others were selected for their tie-in to the topics of statutory rape or self-esteem issues. The booklet inside the CD case features the words to all the songs, as well as information about the statute itself and dating responsibilities. Bob Welsh of the Green Room recording studio in Harrisburg was instrumental in finding some of the contributing musicians for the project.

As part of the campaign to raise public awareness, 25,000 copies of Pulse will be distributed at no charge. Pulse will be distributed at the 54 PCAR centers across the state, and Bon Ton is considering additional distribution of the CD at some of their 33 stores state-wide, but dates and locations haven’t been confirmed. For now, those interested in getting a copy of Pulse can call PCAR at 1-888-772-PCAR. You can also access the PCAR web site at www.pcar.org for more information. The PCAR campaign is scheduled to launch the last week in October, and PCAR is currently looking for additional distribution points. Keep your eyes and ears open – PCAR is also looking into potential radio promotions and the possibility of mall mini-concerts featuring several of the artists from the CD.

CD Credits: Produced by Robert C. Welsh, The Green Room, Harrisburg. Engineered at The Green Room. All songs recorded at The Green Room (except “Who I Am” - INDRE Recording Studios, Philadelphia). Mastered by Real-to-Real Recordings, NYC. CD booklet photos (except Melissa) by Paul Emberger.

(Special thanks to The Neiman Group and PCAR for providing a pre-release copy of the Pulse recording.)