Trisha O'Keefe: Star Burns Brightest

Today is my day of musical love affairs.

As you may know from previous entries, I enjoy, and I dare say, love, Trisha's music. That love affair, thankfully, can continue.

Her latest album, Star Burns Brightest, runs more tracks and more time than her two previous releases combined, and that's a great thing. Star runs 1:11.5, with 17 tracks.

Something I find with many independent artists is that their albums tend to feel over-produced. Not so with this one. Clearly, just the right amount of polish was applied to create a gem of a disc.

The pop-rock-ish-ness (say that 3 times fast), is nicely offset by some solid bluesy sounding riffs (Hear Me Out, Sorry Now?), wonderful use of piano and beautiful lyrics (I Want It All -- A favourite), and, hell, even a nice harder-rockin', straight forward 4-piece setup (Fire and Brimstone). Some of the quieter tunes (most specifically Passing Me By) do a good job of tearing at the ol' heart strings, while others, equally quiet, fill the heart with hope (I Could Get Used to This).

Hearing some of the tunes she did acoustic on Live! in their full instrumentation (Never Enough, BirdSong, Nobody's Love, Wasting My Time)is a treat and a half as I've been grown to know and adore these songs over the last year. And who doesn't like hearing new ways of presenting beloved songs?

Also, kudos to her production staff.

In the end: It's a great album that plays perfectly to O'Keefe's greatest strength (her voice), and leaves most of the modern day rock album bullshit behind. She's going places, I think, so get on board early. Listen, digest, repeat.

Technorati Tagged: Trisha O'Keefe | Small Artists | Rock | 2007

Amanda Marshall: Everybody's Got A Story

If this were the late 90s/early 00s (all over again), I feel like people should be clamoring harder about Amanda Marshall. Sadly, she snuck by my radar a few years back, and I only recently discovered due to a blog post on one of the music blogs I frequent.

Marshall's "Everybody's Got A Story" is completely planted in the pop/rock field of the aforementioned time period. A few years later, it clearly sounds as though it were a period piece, but that makes it no less enjoyable. On the contrary, if you can suspend your current musical sensibilities, this is one hell of a fun album.

The title track is reminiscent of any number of tracks off of Natasha Beddingfield's last album, just clean fun pop. Colleen (I Saw Him First) is a cute, mellow tune about two life long friends arguing over a boy. Sunday Morning After is a great tune for anyone who's partied, perhaps, a little too hard on Saturday night; I think we can all relate to at least part of this tune.

In the end: The album feels like a throwback to an earlier time, because, really, it is. It definitely illustrates how the face and sound of pop music has changed, but it's still an enjoyable piece, one that has a few tunes to keep your foot tapping. And, hey, if nothing else, she's cute.

Technorati Tagged: Amanda Marshall | Pop Rock | 2002

Feist: The Reminder

Feist, oh darling Feist.

My love affair with this album started with a video for "1, 2, 3, 4" which Caitlin posted at her internets music musings blog, Beginning to See the Light. I mean, really, metallic blue tube top pants suit? Genius.

Anyway, I heard the song, and then played it a dozen more times. So simple, so beautiful, so wonderful.

So what did I do? Well, two things: immediately (and illegally) downloaded it and the proceeded to purchase it because it's so damn good.

That's right. I bought the album. Baby don't buy an album unless it's good. It's a good start.

The album starts a little slow, with "So Sorry," most assuredly a break up tune. But, like a label pairing of opener and headliner, it's good... just differently so.

I Feel It All and My Moon My Man (sounding remarkably Spoon-ish), however, kick things up. Mind you, kicking it up on this album isn't exactly rock and roll. It's just... pardon the pun... Feistier.

The whole album roller coasters up and down like this, but never wavers in quality.

There are some truly amazing tracks, ones that just jump out at me. My Moon My Man, as mentioned, is evocative of Spoon which immediately kicks it up in my book. Sea Lion Woman feels like it could have been ripped either from Nina Simone or Paul Simon (during his African tribal beats days). 1, 2, 3, 4 is just a light, airy tune, something you almost feel like you might here on a summer night, with your legs dangling off of a dock, making small waves in water of some secluded lake, dusk just approaching. The rough simplicity of Intuition gives the song a feeling of intimacy, as though this were just some acoustic demo being played for the first time in your buddy's basement.

In the end: Fans of Jem (unplugged), Cat Power, or even that darling Jenny Lewis, will definitely enjoy this one. It teeters on the pop/acoustic/alternative edges, but never offends sensibilities; only warms them. Check it out, or, as Han Solo once said "Don't be a fool!"

On the web: As mentioned, Caitlin has the video for 1, 2, 3, 4 on her blog. I'll post her KCRW session tomorrow. Also, here are two tracks from her Radio performance a couple days ago: Feist: Live on Radio 1

Technorati tagged: Feist | Stripped Down | Female Vocalist | 2007