Brandi Carlile
Give Up The Ghost
2009, Columbia
folk rock
It’s been a while since I’ve given a 5-star rating to two consecutive albums from the same artist/band, but Brandi Carlile has made it impossible for me to rate this any less than a 5.
If there is a Queen of Piano Pop, the title would belong to Sarah McLachlan (Piano Pop’s King would be Billy Joel, in my book). I should point out that every single one of McLachlan’s records have sold Platinum+, and she’s yet to release anything that still doesn’t create new fans or satisfy her old ones.
Gemma Hayes
Night Is On My Side
2002, Source Records/Astralworks
pop
½
Hailing from Ireland, Gemma Hayes is another distinctive female voice I’ve recently found. While this album is from 2002 and therefore a bit old, it still has an appeal for those of us who still remember and appreciate 90’s pop and rock. In fact, I found this album based on its single “Back of My Hand,” which is quite possibly the most 90s-sounding track on the record. Listening to the rest of the album revealed country, acoustic, and dreamscape tinges that were appealing but also disappointing.
