What is it about the sensibilities of the average indie rock fan that predisposes us to be smitten with that sound -- the high, conviction-filled, slightly odd but beautiful, folky but affected vocal delivery sported by so many female vocalists? Blame Joni Mitchell, Pati Smith, Kim Deal, or Bjork, depending on your favorite musical decade. (Heck, blame Joan Baez.) But there are any number of singers emerging right now who fit this bill -- and these four come to mind (and my "recently played" auto-playlist) immediately. They're all well worth checking out. And what's great about their songs is that they work equally well if you imagine them sung in Tom Waits's voice.
1) Mirah:
2) Marissa Nadler:
3) St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark):
4) Joanna Newsom:
Right now, St. Vincent's Marry Me would be my album of the year; "Sawdust and Diamonds" would win my vote for song of the decade; and those who know me can guess why I like Marissa Nadler's "Sylvia" so much.
That's right -- my years spent whaling. Nobody needs to hear those stories again.
Björk's cover of Joni Mitchell's "The Boho Dance" on the recent Mitchell tribute album is perhaps my favorite song of the year thus far. Björk could sing the pants off any of these women, by the way.
ReplyDeleteHmm. Brandon likes Björk. I didn't see that one coming. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou baited me, Tim. It really wasn't a fair play.
ReplyDelete