A rich harvest of girl sounds

I have here a rich harvest of new girl sounds. And I mean the adjective rich in every sense of the word. These new CDs boast of pure, soulful vocals, witty, intelligent songwriting and the widest range of sentiments expressed ever. These females are so honest with their music they get to the heart of everything with little effort.

Best of all they all have staying power. These albums just seem to get better and better each time you listen to them. Is superior songwriting now the milieu of talented females? Must be, if you will cite any of these albums as the example. They can make a girl really proud. Don’t fail to check these CDs out, they are among the best of the year.

Far by Regina Spektor. This is her second album. Her first was the acclaimed Begin To Hope three years ago. It is the way this Russian artist thinks that make her songs stand out. You know how real the words sound when you speak your mind spontaneously. That is how Spektor sings. Her songs have this off-the-cuff, natural appeal of a sincere confession that is irresistible. Listen to what she does with a lost Wallet.

Spektor is now a big star. So she gets to work with star producers. Among those in Far is Jeff Lynne, big guy from classic rock group ELO. He lends bigness to the CD but never overpowers Spektor’s intimate folk-pop style. I like Blue Lips and Human Of The Year best. Also interesting are Eet and Two Birds. Other cuts are The Calculation, Folding Chair, Machine, Laughing With, Dance Anthem Of The 80’s, Genius Next Door, One More Time With Feeling and Man Of A Thousand Faces.

The Pink & The Lily by Sandi Thom. I liked her Smile...It Confuses People so I thought I’d see what she is up to with her second. The CD does not disappoint. Her singing remains soulful although she now sounds like she is enjoying herself. I do not know who among them came first but Sandi reminds me a lot of the Scottish singer and songwriter Amy McDonald. They manage to make the tritest of themes sound refreshing. So if you like Amy, get this one and vice-versa.

The Last Picturehouse stands out among her narratives and the opening cut The Devil’s Beat, really gets the listener hooked. Beatbox and Remote Control Me are great examples of pop songwriting while I’m A Human Being’s insistent appeal gives the CD its commercial touch. Also included are Shape I’m In, Wounded Hearts, Saturday Night, Success’ Ladder, Mirrors, Music In My Soul, The Pink & The Lily and My Ungrateful Heart complete the package.

Lenka by Lenka. This girl from Down Under invades Colbie Caillat territory in her first local release. She creates happy songs with easy melodies that flow seamlessly from one cut to the other. This is a great example of what a pop album. Although predictable most of the time, there is no bad cut to jar the listener. Truth to tell, the CD is the sort that invites sing-along sessions with tunes you end up humming to yourself. 

Radio must love this set and so will you if you like your sounds nice and uncomplicated. We Will Not Grow Old, The Show and Trouble Is A Friend are the best of the batch. Other titles included are Bring Me Down, Skipalong, Don’t Let Me Fall, Anything I’m Not, Knock Knock, Dangerous and Sweet, Live Like You’re Dying and Like A Song.

Safe Trip Home by Dido. Something must have happened to Dido while she was working on this, her third CD that made her very sad. And it shows! Wonder how her label felt when they got to listen to Safe Trip Home. What no singles! Maybe so but Dido has clearly moved into a serious place where the mood is dark and feelings hurt all the time.

The acoustic ballads Look No Further, The Day Before The Day, Quiet Times and Grafton Street are the most moving. Us 2 Little Gods and Let’s Do The Things We Normally Do echo the perky pop of early Dido. Northern Skies though is what shows how far she has come as a musician. Epic in scope, it has the sort of grand melancholy that stays inside one’s head. Also includes Don’t Believe In Love, Never Want To Say It’s Love, It Comes And It Goes and Burnin’ Love (With Citizen Cope) complete the set.