Monday, December 15, 2008

Music Reviews: Jessie Baylin, Calexico, Copeland, Meiko

In this review, a couple of new artists (specials on Amazon.mp3) and a couple of new releases by established bands.  All good stuff.

Jessie Baylin - "Firesight":  Kind of an easy alternative country flavor to this newbie.  Not as hard-edged as Neko Case, not as poppy as KT Tunstall, not as expressive as Sheryl Crow, but probably more like the latter than anything else.  Think of the easy strum and modest rhythm of the Eagles, but with a pleasant solo female vocal instead of male harmony.  Favorites:  Was I On Your Mind, See How I Run, Not A Day More, I'll Cry For The Both Of Us.

Calexico - "Carried To Dust":  Part Gypsy Kings, part Eagles, part Iron & Wine... I love these guys.  :)  In their live show that we saw a while back, they talked about doing a song for the soundtrack of "The 3:10 to Yuma", kind of an updated version of "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" theme song.  

They sure can do that style ("El Gatillo"), but a lot of other things, too.  Sometimes they sound like the soundtrack to Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" novel, if there ever was a soundtrack ("Bend To The Road").  In addition to the songs just mentioned, other favorites are:  Victor Jara's Hands,  Writer's Minor Holiday, House of Valparaiso, Fractured Air, Red Blooms.

Copeland - "You Are My Sunshine":  Kinda sleepy.  :)  Good, easy-going, chill music for a not-doing-much-day.  Their sound hasn't developed much from their earlier CDs, but... does it need to?  Favorites: Good Morning Fire Eater, To Be Happy Now, The Day I Lost My Voice, On The Safest Ledge.

Meiko - "Meiko":  Debut album from yet another young female pop vocalist, singing somewhat beyond her life experience.  She sounds a bit like Ingrid Michaelson, Colbie Caillat, etc. etc.  You know the type.  I like the type.  :)  

Poppy, fluffy, little emo-relationship songs that are sort of summer-afternoon-kicking-down-the-sidewalk sort of fare begin the album.  Nice.  Later, the keys go minor and the lyrics more thoughtful.  Also nice.   Favorites:  Reasons To Love You, Heard It All Before, Sleep, Said and Done, Under My Bed.

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