Adding Stephanie Poetri!
I absolutely love Susan Calloway. I heard her live at a Distant Worlds concert in London a couple of years ago and I’ve been in love with her voice ever since. She’s really magical.
Always been a huge fan of Lisa Gerard from Dead can Dance
and Tracey Thorn from Everything but the girl
@Audiophool I haven’t listened to this new one yet. How do you like it compared to Birdy’s earlier albums?
I was a big fan of her debut album, which was all covers, and then ignored her next 2 albums for a few years because I assumed she didn’t know how to write a song. But I have to say that when I did try the,m out, I was pleasantly surprised.
I hadn’t come across this thread, there is some great content here.
I heard this on the HEKse the other day and it hooked me, I have since been listening to a lot of her stuff…
She’s totally new to me…just came across it in new releases on Qobuz. Pulled me in with the piano on the first track. I really like her voice and the acoustic framework of the music with the addition of strings and piano. Standout track to me is “River Song “. Good stuff. I’ll check out her earlier releases.
I’d be interested to know what you think of her very first album, which is all covers. Her interpretations of other people’s songs are very good (Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love” is probably the best example). She was so young, and I mistakenly made the assumption that this was a one off because she could only do covers.
I discovered Dominique’s “Three Little Words” on Qobuz a couple of months ago, and I too was immediately impressed. I really like her laid back rhythmic vibe.
The Siren’s of Symphonic Metal…
Ad Infinitum’s Melissa Bonny
Amaranthe’s Elize Ryd
The Dark Element’s Anette Olzon
The Gathering’s Anneke Van Giersbergen
Arch Enemy’s Alissa White-Gluz
Cecile Monique
Delain’s Charlotte Wessels
Epica’s Simone Simons
Evanescence’s Amy Lee
Nightwish’s Floor Jansen
Oceans of Slumber’s Cammie Gilbert
Sirenia’ Ailyn and Emmanuelle Zoldan
Stream Of Passion’s Marcela Bovio
Tarja Turunen
Therion’s Lori Lewis
Within Temptation’s Sharon den Adel
Was looking at the new stuff in this topic, and all that went through my mind was China Forbes singing Hey Eugene. Again and again. I looked up the original version on her solo album '78 and tried it both on TIDAL (sub runs out on the 12th) and QOBUZ. Q is better. But the Pink Martini version is better still. I like how China can sing anything. Probably because she’s a French, Scottish, African mix herself. Her Portuguese on Tempo Perdido (song 2 on the Hey Eugene album (2007)) is flawless.
Allison Russell has been around since the early 2000s in Po’ Girl and Birds of Chicago. But her solo debut…just WOW.
Also:
Flock of Dimes (the amazing Jenn Wasner)
Nathy Peluso:
The Weather Station (Tamara Lindeman)
Adia Victoria.
Julien Baker
Lucy Dacus
Annette Peacock
Elis Regina, Gal Costa, Carmen Consoli, Lake Shore Dive, Jefferson Airplane (Grace Slick!), Beyonce,
Rihanna… why do males even bother to sing???
It’s good. It’s real good. It’s not gonna change the world, but it’ll probably get picked up for a WB drama soundtrack or two.
Jean Knight: Mr. BIg Stuff
Donna Summer: “I Feel Love”
(It’s so good, it’s so good, it’s so good)
Flora Purim
Yoko Ono
Two pure pop albums stood out to me last year, Jessie Ware’s What’s Your Pleasure? and Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia. Both are well-produced with slick vocal layering and infectious beats that bubble and shimmer. Ware’s vocal performance, however, is otherworldly. When the beats are stripped down to nothing more than a simple bassline and strings, Ware’s vocal command and range truly shine. My favorite moment on the album comes at 2:51-3:10 in “The Kill,” as she sings, “I’ve been waiting my whole life for someone who makes me feel like you do. It’s complicated I can’t lie to you.” The way she drags out that final “you,” I feel like she’s reaching deep into my chest and trying to pull out my soul. I’d cry if it didn’t feel so good. Beats drop gently like heads on down pillows. Synth lines emerge like airplanes through clouds thousands of feet in the sky. Although much of the production has this dreamlike quality to it, this is a dance record with a capital “D,” with roots in disco and house music. Ware articulates the purpose of this record perhaps most clearly during “Mirage (Don’t Stop),” which opens with the line: “Last night we danced and I thought you were saving my life.” Hoping to preserve that connection, she sings on the chorus: “Don’t stop movin’ together / Don’t stop movin’ together / Don’t stop movin’ together / Keep on dancing.” Gladly. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Ware explained, “Disco has that sense of joy that people need when things are really going to s***.” This statement definitely rang true for me last year. And alongside “joy,” I’d add the words “sultry” and “intimate.” Nothing else I listened to in 2020 came close on either score. Ware doesn’t utter a single swear on this record, but you could mark this as “nsfw” based on rhythm and vibes alone.
I agree, both of those albums were pop standouts last year. I think Jessie Ware has been consistently great with all her releases, and I’m not sure why she hasn’t sold more records.
I listened to What’s Your Pleasure after reading your post, and then had a craving for something a little more relaxing, so I turned to my current favorite pop album: Collapsed In Sunbeams by Arlo Parks. It’s got a trip-hop vibe, great chill music.
Just finished listening to Collapsed in Sunbeams. Definitely agree with this take. I’ll return to this one often, for sure. “Hope,” “For Violet,” and “Porta 400” stood out to me on first listen.
Really enjoyed this!