”;One Right Turn: Lean On My Shoulder”;

One Right Turn
(One Hawaii)

”;One Right Turn: Connie”;

Connie Cruz
(One Hawaii)

”;One Right Turn: Imua”;

Imua Garza
(One Hawaii)

”;One Right Turn: Tiffa”;

Tiffa Garza
(One Hawaii)

  Very few local recording artists have ever released two separate albums simultaneously. Karen Keawehawai'i overextended herself with “;With Love, Karen”; and “;Have A Merry Karen Christmas”; in the 1980s. Sean Na'auao did much better when he released both Hawaiian and Jawaiian albums simultaneously in 2001: Each won a Hoku Award the following year.

Now comes One Right Turn — Connie Cruz, sister Tiffa Cruz Garza, and Tiffa's husband, Imua Garza — introducing itself with what amounts to the simultaneous release of 49 original songs on four full-length separate-sale albums, plus a box set that contains all four.

The lead album, “;Lean On My Shoulder,”; is an impressive debut for the trio. The other three showcase individual members as soloists.

The girls' contribution may not surprise people who remember them as members of The Girlas, and fans will embrace their work here. Imua Garza, a founding member of the Opihi Pickers, is no newbie either, but his work as a singer/songwriter here is a big step beyond the Pickers' repertoire. Take note, for instance, of the guitar riffs that open his album with a pair of bright radio-friendly rockers.

Hot riffs aside, the overall sound here is closer to the Girlas than the Opihi Pickers, and that's all to the good in terms of the trio's chances of national success. There's nothing Hawaiian, let alone Jawaiian going on here, just solid contemporary American pop music. Connie articulates the pain of domestic abuse so effectively that survivors will find solace, while other listeners will condemn the person whose behavior inspired the songs. Imua writes brighter and lighter music, although some of his songs also addresses the darker aspects of romantic relationships. Christian themes percolate through Tiffa's solo album, the final disc in the set.

All in all, One Right Turn sounds like the breakthrough alt-rock pop group Hawaii has been waiting for. Their precedent-setting project is a milestone for the Hawaii recording industry.

  Take note that the individual albums sell for $9.98 (less than it would cost to download all the songs); the box set sells for $29.98 .

  www.onehawaiimusic.com 

”;One Right Turn: Lean On My Shoulder”;

One Right Turn
(One Hawaii)

“Memory”

  “Crazy”

  “Lean On My Shoulder”

  “Until I Come Home”

  “So Many Reasons”

”;One Right Turn: Connie”;

Connie Cruz
(One Hawaii)

“Like I Do”

”;One Right Turn: Imua”;

Imua Garza
(One Hawaii)

“Fire Sparks”

”;One Right Turn: Tiffa”;

Tiffa Garza
(One Hawaii)

“Beloved”