“BEAUTIFUL DAY”

Na Leo (NLP Music)

Na Leo Pilimehana hit big in 1984 when the trio from Kamehameha won the Hot I-94 “Brown Bags to Stardom” high school talent contest with a controversial original song, “Local Boys.”

The win was good for a record deal, and the record got them a first Na Hoku Hanohano Award. Thirty-four years later, Na Leo can accurately be described as the biggest female Hawaiian recording act of their generation.

“Beautiful” is an apt description of their recently released CD.

All three members contribute as song writers. Nalani Jenkins contributes two; one is the title song, and it is a bright, bouncy, slightly sassy description of life when everything is going your way. Her other piece, “Good Thing,” describes the experience of surviving trauma and finding a new reason to live. Lehua Kalima celebrates the optimism love brings with “My Favorite Place. Angie Morales partnered with Jeff Rasmussen to commemorate a child’s battle with cancer with “Mana’s Song.”

Na Leo also distinguish themselves as interpreters of other writers’ work with soothing inspirational treatments of “More Than You’ll Ever Know,” “Let Him Fly” and “Lean On My Shoulder.”

Remakes of classic pop chart hits are always a risky undertaking but the trio and guest musician Jake Shimabukuro do a commendable job with Jackie DeShannon’s 1965-vintage hit “What The World Needs Now Is Love.”

An eight-panel insert with song lyrics and important background information completes the project.

Visit naleopilimehana.com.

“6 STRING LOSERS”

The Granite Saints (Self-published)

Not quite a year has passed since the Granite Saints introduced themselves with a self-titled seven-song EP filled with dark nihilistic rock. Songs titled “Every Loser Needs a Hero” and “Liars, Thieves (Punks & Cheats)” set the mood of the Saints’ first EP. Their second picks up where they left off a year ago.

The title song explains where they’re coming from (“I’m just a full time sinner and a part-time saint”). The first two songs on the CD, “Nitrous” and “Red Light Girls,” also show that the group is living up to the high standards set a year ago.

Later on the CD come a couple of songs that look inward but which reveal the same feelings of isolation, defiance and alienation. Many American men will certainly relate.

The quartet closes on a slightly lighter note with “Radio Rock.” The song comments on the limited number of songs on most radio station playlists. People who spend much time listening to music on the radio will almost certainly relate to it as well.

Visit fb.com/thegranitesaints.