Rachel Epp - Rosary

Rachel Epp – Rosary
2010, Rachel Epp

Rachel Epp grew up a farm girl, with the seeds of country and folk music sewn into her musical soul.  Artists such as Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss, Patty Griffin and Kathleen Edwards taught her what great songwriting is, and Epps applied these influences into the making of her own style.  The result is compelling; a storytelling style of song craft that is deeply personal and full of a vibrant intensity that never weighs too heavily on the listen.  Rachel Epp’s sophomore effort, Rosary, builds on her ability to use words to paint pictures that nearly come alive.

Epp kicks things off with “Ghost in the Graveyard”, an ode to young love full of summer nights and endless dreams.  With a radio-ready chorus and a sweet, instantly likeable voice, Epp makes a great first impression.  “East of the River” explores the dichotomy of being comfortable with one person but wanting more.  The demarcation here is New York’s East River, and the two sides are different worlds with different realities.  Epp brings out the beauty of where she wants to be and the indecision that accompanies it in a lush arrangement that wraps around you and pulls you into the story.  “Virginia” has a more plaintive feel, an ode to the transient feel of home once you’ve found a life elsewhere.  The full acoustic-electric arrangement is comfortable even as it explores emotional nooks and crannies that are often less so.

“Beautiful Like This” is full of melancholy memories of happy moments, and an awareness that tomorrow’s memories might be much the same.  It’s a beautiful reminiscence of now, full of an understanding that life is fleeting and memory, in the end, is all we are left with.  Rachel Epp writes much deeper than you might first assume, and that is never clearer than in this moment.  Rosary bows with “Wasted”, a country-tinged number that shows off Epp’s voice in its lonely beauty.  The straight-forward singer/songwriter style is enhanced by Epp’s flowing melancholy and darkly sweet arrangements.

Rachel Epp mesmerizes with doses of beauty and melancholy on Rosary.  Epp surprises you; wrapping you up in her stories with a voice that lulls and a sense of imagery that is sublime.  Rosary is not to be missed.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more at www.rachelepp.com. 

The Best Is Yet To Come - The Songs Of Cy Coleman

The Best Is Yet To Come - The Songs Of Cy Coleman

2009, New West Records

Cy Coleman, née Seymour Kaufman found success in the classical and jazz worlds before finding his true calling - Broadway. He didn't let being late to the game stop him from having a stellar career, however, garnering 5 Tony Awards, 3 Emmy Awards and 2 Grammys before his untimely death in 2004. Coleman gave birth to the scores and songs of such shows as Sweet Charity, City Of Angels, The Life, The Will Rogers Follies, and Barnum. In the process, Coleman, created songs and shows that continues to have an impact on Broadway even today. It's not surprising, then, that Coleman would be honored with a compilation such as The Best Is Yet To Come - The Songs Of Cy Coleman.

The voices here might surprise you. Artists as diverse as Patty Griffin, Madeleine Peyroux, Sam Phillips, Fiona Apple, Nikka Costa and Jill Sobule offer up their talents in a stunning, stealthy collection that will take you by surprise. Griffin surprises with a wonderful sultry and soulful take on "The Best Is Yet To Come", while Fiona Apple lights up the night with "Why Try To Change Me Now" and "I Walk A Little Faster", showing off an impressive upper range in the latter that you might not suspect from her more alt-pop oriented originals. Madeleine Peyroux and Sam Phillips turn in solid outings on "I Live My Life" and "You Fascinate Me So", respectively, and Nikka Costa is a pleasant surprise on "The Rules Of The Road".

The true gems here, however, are the ones you don't see coming. Julianna Raye brings an amazingly earthy and tonally buoyant voice to "I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life", while Sarabeth Tucek hits all the right notes on "Where Am I Going?” Even Jill Sobule shows a surprising versatility on "I've Got Your Number". The highlight of the disc, however, is the closing performance of "(I'm) In Love Again" by Missy Higgins.

Cy Coleman left an indelible mark on American Musical Theater. The songs presented on The Best Is Yet To Come - The Songs Of Cy Coleman, are the proof in the pudding. This is perhaps one of the most inspired composer collections to emanate from Broadway in some time.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Cy Coleman at Notable Music.

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Caitlin Canty - Neon Streets

Caitlin Canty - Neon Streets
2010, Caitlin Canty

Vermont native and New York City resident Caitlin Canty spent a number of years singing backup and working the production booth before stepping to center stage. The resounding cry from crowds on New York's Indie scene has been "What took you so long?” Canty charms with a soothing delivery and intimately soulful voice, earning comparisons to Patty Griffin, Jack Johnson and Norah Jones. Canty recently released a collaborative EP, Neon Streets, with instrumental backing from string-rockers Darlingside. The album was co-produced by Darlingside and Canty, and is the first of four collaborative EPs in the works for Canty.

Neon Streets opens with "Halo", a declaration of independence of sorts based in cynicism about faith and a natural distrust of things than cannot be seen. Canty has crafted a gorgeous melody here and an almost anti-McLachlan arrangement steeped firmly in acoustic instruments that somehow reaches for the same ethereal sound. "Neon Streets" is a remarkably pragmatic tune about fears and common sense; failing to acknowledge threats until they threaten. You might call it an anthem for quiet bravado. Canty has a low-key, cool delivery that's as convincing as the lyrics here and a pleasant voice that wants to straddle the gap between an alto's depth and a soprano's grace.

Canty explores the existential angst born of the transition between youth and adulthood in "Shore", where opportunities abound and it’s never clear which doors are already closed. The song is reflective of a generational ambivalence born of broken dreams and fear of the future. "Thin Moon" uses the weak light of a waning moon as a parallel of a relationship guttering in the currents of two lives moving apart. Canty's depiction here is stark and haunting, laden with emotion and yet apart from it all at once. "Two Hands" is an ode to independence; to not needing someone else in your life to be fulfilled. It's a brilliant tune that's self affirming and highly melodic. Neon Streets closes with "Carried Away", hitting the essence of longing and beauty in a stark arrangement that's reminiscent of early Ani DiFranco.

Caitlin Canty impresses with Neon Streets. Her low-key approach belies an intensity that emanates from Canty like heat from a furnace. Canty's focus is piercing at times, a quality that should come through even more clearly in the live environment. Her ability to project that feel even in pre-recorded media is unusual. There's little doubt that Caitlin Canty has a future in music; it's more a question of getting the right opportunity. That being said, Canty isn't going to blow anyone away musically. It's simply not her style, but her quiet musical resolve will certainly turn some heads.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Caitlin Canty at http://www.caitlincanty.com/ or www.myspace.com/caitlincantymusic.  Neon Streets is available from Amazon.com as a CD or Download.  The album is also available from iTunes.

Annie Fitzgerald - In Good Time

Annie Fitzgerald - In Good Time
2010, Pin Curl Productions

Minnesota native and Brooklynite Annie Fitzgerald captivates audiences with her own brand of homespun Americana. A regular on the New York City Indie scene, Fitzgerald is known in several major US cities as an entrancing performer with a voice that draws you, wraps its arms around you and just won't let go. With nods to Sarah McLachlan, Patty Griffin and even Ray LaMontagne, Fitzgerald tackles the little moments in life, drawing the significance of each out into the light in songs that flow like water. It won't take long until you are immersed in her first full length album, In Good Time.

Annie Fitzgerald has one of those voices that are hard to classify. Full of beautiful textures and contours, Fitzgerald can run a warm alto to an inspired soprano, transitioning from one to the other with great ease. Fitzgerald's voice seems to have multiple layers, ala Sarah McLachlan, but her sound is very much her own. When first greeted with that voice on In Good Time's opening track, "Hero", you'll be surprised by the simple, heartfelt delivery and utter beauty of her voice. "Hero" is a heart-on-your-sleeve ballad with a future on mix-tapes and as a wedding song. "Another Sad Love Song" is an amazing bit of melancholy songwriting in a delicious Americana arrangement; a bit of pure poetry. Fitzgerald wishes a young friend well on "Little Girl", a sweet song of inspiration and hope for one whose dreams, hopes and aspirations are all as yet unfound. It's Fitzgerald's easy, unaffected delivery that makes this song fly.

"Watch The World Go By" is an invitation to enjoy a perfect moment in love; those times when time stops and you are lost between the streams with that perfect person. Here it is a dream; a wish for love and the eternal what if. The songwriting style here will seem very familiar to fans of Sarah McLachlan, both for its textures and flow but also for the earnest lyrics and delivery. "Brother" finds Fitzgerald reminiscing about childhood in a song that's full of the melancholy of days lost but also the joy of memory. Fitzgerald's vocal performance here is stunning; stark, lonely and full of love. "How Long" has one of those choruses that seem familiar to you the first time you hear it and stick with you long after the song is done. It's a highly memorable tune you're likely to have on repeat.

"Old Souvenirs" touches on the significance of memories of loved ones who have passed on, and the power of objects, even names passed on, to fill our hearts. Fitzgerald finds that near-perfect songwriting moment here where a song is both highly personal and universal, opening a window between songwriter and listener that is tangible and real. Fitzgerald issues a personal and beautiful call to move forward with a relationship that works on "Let's Not Wait Too Long"; playing on a sense of love and urgency driven by the feeling that this time it's right. Fitzgerald's emotions swirl through the song like gusts of wind on a Fall day, moving and churning in a beautiful display of both creation and fear. In Good Time closes with "Cellar Door", a song about looking into the aspects of yourself that most frighten you; the things you'd rather not see. It's a song about crossing the bridge into adulthood, and taking on the fears we have hidden away from ourselves. It's an amazing closing song; a highly mature and introspective piece of songwriting that seems likely to be covered by others down the road.

Annie Fitzgerald shows a distinctive flair for writing highly personal and moving songs on In Good Time. Fitzgerald’s approach is mature beyond her years, and her voice is has the ring of angel song filtered through the rays of sunrise. Fitzgerald will captivate you with her songs, and you'll be waiting for more to come In Good Time.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Annie Fitzgerald at http://www.anniefitzgerald.com/ or www.myspace.com/anniefitzgerald.  You can order In Good Time as either a CD or Download directly from Annie Fitzgerld's webstore.  digitally from Amazon.com or iTunes.

Scott Miller & The Commonwealth - For Crying Out Loud

Scott Miller & The Commonwealth - For Crying Out Loud
2009, F.A.Y. Recordings

How do you take the bandleader from Jeff Foxworthy’s Blue Collar Comedy Show seriously? You listen, of course. And if you listen to most anything Scott Miller has put down on tape, you’ll know you’re listening to a serious musician. The son of Scots-Irish farmers (he refers to his lifestyle growing up as “Amish that drink”); Miller learned an appreciation for melody and frugality of words at a young age. After numerous albums and tours, Miller’s sound has matured and taken on the wizened air of a long-time singer-songwriter. This is wholly apparent on his 2009 album, For Crying Out Loud, with his band The Commonwealth.

Miller opens with "Cheap Ain't Cheap (For Crying Out Loud)", a highly catchy piece of acoustic rock n roll. Miller has a pleasant voice, and this tune is just a lot of fun. "Sin In Indiana" shows Miller's witty side in a bluesy romp you won't want to miss. Southern rock is the thing in "Iron Gate"; the song is very danceable and features some serious guitar work. It's a tune about an argument where he tells his girl to get out; she does and she's looking for trouble. "I'm Right Here, My Love" is a great duet with Patty Griffin that mixes love and insecurity in a whirl of human frailty. "Let You Down" is entertaining, danceable rock with an oldies feel. Miller keeps up the good time flavor with "Wildcat Whistle" before transitioning into the sweet, working class love ballad "She's Still Mine".

"Claire Marie" is the best example of Miller's songwriting ability on the album. Classic and southern rock mix over a 1960's backbeat and rinky-tink piano style in a tune about the distractions a beautiful girl can create that finds Miller begging for mercy before it’s done. Miller keeps the R&B base for "I Can't Dance", an ironically danceable tune. "Double Indemnity" is the gritty tale of a man on death row who perhaps ought not to be. There's a femme fatale in the mix who will make off with the money when he's gone. It's never clear whether he or she did, but she's certainly going to get away with it. Miller closes with "Appalachian Refugee", a charming story/character song with distinctive character development. The Appalachian folk/country mix is no surprise, but the depth of character that Miller creates both in the writing and performance of this song is substantial.

Scott Miller & The Commonwealth hit all the right notes on For Crying Out Loud, a highly entertaining and musical endeavor. Miller's voice is pleasant enough to spend an hour or two listening to a few times per week, and The Commonwealth is as tight and as talented as can be. Miller is one to watch.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Scott Miller & The Commonwealth at http://www.thescottmiller.com/ or www.myspace.com/thescottmiller. You can purchase For Crying Out Loud directly from Scott Miller in his webstore. You can also purchase the album in various forms from Amazon and iTunes.

Jenn Franklin - Girl Invisible (Vol. 1)

Jenn Franklin - Girl Invisible (Vol. 1)
2010, Groove House Records

Nashville singer/songwriter Jenn Franklin will get you with her voice and keep you with her songwriting. A warm, soulful sound full of deep texture will greet you in the opening moments of her sophomore EP, Girl Invisible (Vol. 1), and draw you in like an old friend. Once in, the songwriting will hook you. Franklin dwells in the darker places of human emotion, drawing inspiration from some of our weakest moments and lifting them up to the light. It's a cathartic process for Franklin, who is both counselor and counselee in the songwriting process, learning as much about herself as about the people she writes about. The buzz on Jenn Franklin has been building since the release of her debut EP, Errors & Omissions, which saw two songs placed on MTV's "Real World Hollywood" and helped Franklin score a slot as a showcased artist at SXSW as well as headline slots with the NY Songwriters Showcase and various Festivals around the country. Co-produced by Jim Reilly (The New Dylans), Girl Invisible (Vol. 1) features musicians Ken Coomer (Wilco), Charlie Chadwick (Shelby Lynne, Steve Earle), and Bryn Davies (Patty Griffin) backing up Franklin on her most impressive work to date.

Opening with "Seven Again", Franklin explores the darker impacts that parents can have on their children with careless words. Franklin admonishes the subject of this song to get him/herself worked out for the sake of the child, who is losing their childhood to the fears and insecurities of the parent. "Most Beautiful Man" warns about beauty and the dark secrets it might cover; a peppy-yet-dark tune that seems to mix the dark/light elements it warns of. "Hold Up The World" is presented here as a piano ballad; but it’s a song of consolation and love, offering respite to one in need. The simple piano arrangement marries to strings throughout for a simple, beautiful sonic mix. Franklin closes with the soulful gospel/blues arrangement of "Courageous", an ode to the one who gives her the strength to carry on. It's a love song that's both worldly and full of emotion that allows Franklin to show more of her soulful side.

Jenn Franklin is on an upward trajectory with a great deal of potential. Girl Invisible (Vol. 1) is a bit dark thematically, but the music is good for your soul, full of earthy emotion and themes that are accessible to everyone. Franklin throws herself into each song, and that commitment comes out in the performances on Girl Invisible (Vol. 1). Don't be surprised if Jenn Franklin wins you over.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Jenn Franklin at http://www.jennfranklin.com/ or www.myspace.com/jennfranklin. Girl Invisible (Vol. 1) drops on June 22, 2010. You can order the CD now though Franklin's webstore. Expect availability from Amazon and iTunes as well. Photo courtesy of Jenn Franklin & Shutter Creek Photography.

Review: Anna Coogan - The Nocturnal Among Us

Anna Coogan - The Nocturnal Among Us
2010, Anna Coogan

Seattle’s Anna Coogan has one of those voices that haunt you. There's a lonesome quality there that is entirely compelling, and Coogan know how to place her voice to fullest effect in arrangements that both frame and feature it in the best light. The Seattle singer/songwriter has been delighting audiences since she first started writing in 2002, and has released two albums to date that have won critical praise. On March 2, 2010, Coogan steps fourth with her third album, The Nocturnal Among Us. Written in the depths of two Seattle winters, Coogan waxes poetic on the sort of growing up we start to do once we think we've grown up. Getting married, becoming a responsible adult and the perspective of mortality all come into play. Produced by JD Foster (Calexico, Dwight Yoakam, Patty Griffin, Laura Cantrell), The Nocturnal Among Us is Coogan's best work yet, and will serve to cement her reputation as both a songwriter and performer.

Coogan starts off on the right foot with Back To The World, wrapped in a simplistic arrangement that allow the melody and ambience of the song to pour out in buckets. On Dreaming My Life Away, Coogan sounds like a classic Country crooner working a rock song steeped in melancholy. The vocal harmonies around Coogan are amazing, helping her to commemorate the sort of existential crisis that's a trademark of the human condition.

Coogan documents the cycle of a relationship from happiness to heartache on Crooked Sea, a dreamer's tale of love gone wrong told from the worldly perspective of one who thought it might come out like this all along. It's an amazing piece of songwriting and performed right to the cusp of perfection. Escapism reigns on Take The Sky And Run, a possible epilogue to Crooked Sea that's sharp but perhaps one of the weaker songs on the album. Love Again is a song of renewal; finding the will to get past the pain and live again. It's tuneful and well-written and Coogan wears it like a glove.

The highlight of the album is Holy Ghosts Of Texas. I'm not even going to go to great lengths to describe the song, as I suspect it's more a matter of how the song touches you than anything else, but it's powerful songwriting and Coogan is at her vocal best here. The song itself is an instant classic; the sort that other artists are likely to find and cover over time. So Long Summertime finds Coogan entering the Folk/Pop mélange of Natalie Merchant. It's a great listen that's easy on the ears and will recall Merchant's early days with 10,000 Maniacs. Coins On Your Eyes is something of a morality tale about figuring out what's important in life before it's too late. The song is delivered in a loving tone to someone whom Coogan knows will likely never change, and has a dark beauty that's full of love, a need to do something and the knowledge that nothing will ever be enough. Coogan says goodnight with The Nocturnal Among Us, a sad, pretty closer that serves as a musical mood desert for what's come before.

Coogan floored me from the opening notes of The Nocturnal Among Us. Her voice is truly something special, and Coogan has a talent for phrasing that's somewhat rare in Pop music. Coogan also is able to write and perform music that sounds 100% authentic, honest and from the heart. If she chooses, Coogan's going to be making music the rest of her life. Talent like this screams to be used.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Anna Coogan at www.myspace.com/annacoogan. The Nocturnal Among Us drops March 2, 2010.

Review: Various Artists - Oh Happy Day

Various Artists - Oh Happy Day
2009, EMI Gospel

So the idea is that you take a selection of classic Gospel tunes, a cross-section of popular Gospel artists, and pair them with big name artists from the popular music realm. I was skeptical of this when I first read about, because some of the pop artists involved were ones I never would have thought of being on a Gospel tribute album. The collection is called Oh Happy Day and was released earlier this year on EMI Gospel Records. Suffice it to say that there are some pleasant surprises here as well as some puzzling and downright disappointing efforts here.

Oh Happy Day opens with Johnny Lang & The Fisk Jubilee Singers on I Believe, a funk-driven gospel work with great blues guitar work and an absolutely inspired vocal from Lang. This is the perfect opening to the album, as Lang brings all the energy of a revival meeting right from the opening notes. I wasn't certain what to make of 3 Doors Down being included here, but their version of Presence of The Lord with Soul Children of Chicago was solid. Robert Randolph & The Clark Sisters break out some rocking 1970's electric blues on Higher Ground. The energy here is over the top and through the roof in the best Gospel tradition.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the album is Jon Bon Jovi's Keep The Faith with the Washington Youth Choir. This is a different side of Bon Jovi than I've seen before, fitting his voice into the Southern Gospel/Blues style like it was a second skin. I wasn't impressed with Al Green & Heather Headley's People Get Ready. Vocally their performance is impeccable, but the song is a call to action and the energy level on this rendition reflected anything but; sounding more like a lullaby than reveille. Perhaps the most anticipated duet on the album is Waiting For My Child To Come Home, featuring Mavis Staples and Patty Griffin. Neither singer disappoints, as the mix of their voices together is downright heavenly. Michael McDonald teams with the West Angeles Cogic Mass Choir on Storm Before The Calm. I personally have never been a big fan of McDonald, but he gives a solid performance here.

Angelique Kidjo tackles Bob Marley's Redemption Song with the best vocal performance on the album, although the song itself is a questionable inclusion on a disc of Gospel tunes. Aaron Neville is Aaron Neville on A Change Is Gonna Come. The title track features Queen Latifah and Jubilation performing in a mid-tempo, lyric style. Latifah gives a moving performance but doesn't open the song the way some might. The album closes out with a true wow moment. Joss Stone and Buick Audra pair up on This Little Light Of Mine. Each singer is a vocal powerhouse in her own right, and they manage to not try to overpower one another here. The acoustic blues arrangement is topper, featuring harmonica work that is worth the price of the CD on its own.

Oh Happy Day is a pleasant surprise. While not quite expecting a disaster, I was highly skeptical that the concept would work going in. It not only works but excels in opening up a genre of music that is often shunned in the popular realm and showing us aspects of a few performers we might not have seen before. Make sure you take some time to check out Oh Happy Day. You'll be glad you did.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Oh Happy Day is a Walmart Exclusive release. You can pick it up in any Walmart store or at http://www.walmart.com/, or you can download the album through Amazon MP3.