User Rating: / 2
PoorBest 

I have a small stack of new albums that have been gathering dust for a few weeks now, and I need to start working my through them. So today you get a twofer -- one artist you've probably never heard of, plus a brand new one thrown in at no extra cost.

Hope Waits is the brand new newcomer. "Introducing Hope Waits" is her first album. I'm very impressed.

You could call her a blues singer. Or a jazz singer. Or a pop singer. She can be all three, in the same song. She has a breathy, smoky, bluesy voice, which is wrapped here in elegant, just-right musical  arrangements, and it all sounds very good.

I'm already reading comparisons with Billie Holiday -- which  could be a tad premature -- but I can see the similarities.

The Louisiana native is not afraid to tackle classic songs identified with others -- "Drown in My Own Tears" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine" are two excellent examples. "Mother-in-Law Blues" is a solid, straight-ahead blues; "I'll Be Satisfied" is a wonderful sultry, soulful, late-night turn-on. Pure singing doesn't get much better than this.

Waits approaches her work here with the confidence of an established star, and a clear sense of who she is and what she wants to do with the music. It's scary to think that she could still get a lot better. By the way, read her bio -- she's gone through a lot to get where she is.

 

---

Mike Zito isn't exactly a newcomer -- he put together his first CD in 1996 in his home town of St. Louis, where he roamed and performed for a number of years before sprialing downhill and into East Texas, where he put his life back together and created his current career, based on bluesy Americana music, deep and dark songwriting and haunting musical arrangements.

 

This album, "Greyhound" (Eclecto Groove Records), was produced by Anders Osborne, who is also featured on vocals and guitar.

Two things make this music work -- strong lyrical content, and guitar-driven arrangements with dark undertones hinting at stark images hidden deep in the soul. It's music that requires some listening. And no, it's not really blues.

But like many artists today, Zito is taking some blues influences, among others, and taking them where he wants. I don't know exactly what to call this music -- roots, Americana, New Age Blues -- but it's good music, worth a listen in between your Howlin' Wolf CDs.

Here's a video of Waits:

Here's a video of Zito:

< Prev		Next >