This Woman’s Work: Lara Herscovitch
May 27, 2006 by Robbie McCown · Leave a Comment
Singer-songwriter Lara Herscovitch is a well traveled woman. Having been to Asia, Africa, Latin America and much of the U.S., she has undoubtedly absorbed some of the culture and flavor of each of these places and has infused them into her music.
On her latest offering, Juror Number 13, Herscovitch masterfully creates a proud batch of poignant songs, each one possessing its own unique charm. Smart lyrics and a noticable whimsy mark Herscovitch as someone who embraces the serious as much as the humorous side of folk music.
Womenfolk is proud to introduce the fourteenth in its This Woman’s Work series with the inclusion of Lara Herscovitch.
Cover Girls, Vol. 15
May 26, 2006 by Robbie McCown · 1 Comment
Consistently churning out quality music since 1998, singer-songwriter Thea Gilmore is also no stranger to the works of others who have come before her.
For the release of 2004’s Loft Music, Gilmore recorded ten renditions of songs by some of her favorite artists including the Ramones, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Van Morrison.
Featured here is her smoky, foot-stompin’ rendition of ‘Hide ‘N’ Seekin,’ a song originally written by Paul Westerberg.
On her fifth album as a solo artist, Maria McKee again makes a record that stands apart from everything else she has previously recorded. Although Peddlin’ Dreams would best be described as a return to McKee’s country/folk/rock roots, it’s McKee’s powerful and signature vocals that are truly the only thing familiar about its sound.
Among the album’s twelve tracks stand a remarkable cover in Neil Young’s ‘Barstool Blues,’ a song originally recorded for his 1975 album, Zuma. McKee’s version replaces Young’s full-band sound with a softer piano, further emphasizing the sadness of its story.
It’s hard to believe that Laura Burhenn’s Wanderlust is now two years old, but what a gem it is.
For her debut, the Washington, D.C.-based Burhenn opted for a cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Chelsea Hotel No. 2,’ a personal song in which Cohen wrote about his relationship with the legendary Janis Joplin. Burhenn’s version is equally as hypnotic and soft and capable of causing goosebumps.
Making its second appearance on Womenfolk’s ‘Cover Girl’ series is the soundtrack for Everwood. While I can’t claim to be a big fan of the show, this soundtrack is something special.
The premise was simple: feature a handful of today’s artists and pair them with some of the most notable songs from the 70’s.
Artists and bands like Kristin Hersh, Jason Mraz, Travis and the Stereophonics contibuted to the compilation.
Featured below is singer-songwriter Toby Lightman’s fine cover of Jim Croce’s ‘Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels).’
Downloads:
Thea Gilmore - Hide ‘N’ Seekin’
Maria McKee - Barstool Blues
Laura Burhenn - Chelsea Hotel No. 2
Toby Lightman - Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels)
This Woman’s Work: divineMAGgees
May 17, 2006 by Robbie McCown · Leave a Comment
divineMAGgees are a North Carolina-based duo consisting of Danielle Tibedo and Cregan Montague, both women with extensive musical backgrounds, whose musical union has produced a string of powerful songs over the last few years.
Theirs is a thick and solid mixture of rock, folk and jazz elements combined with great lyrical storytelling. According to a quote found on their web site, the music of divineMAGgees (pronounced ‘divine maggies’) “takes the Indigo Girls’ sound and gives it a swift kick in the ass.”
Their latest album is their first studio produced full-length effort, the exquisite Love Me Like The Roses, released in September of last year.
Womenfolk is proud to introduce the thirteenth in its This Woman’s Work series with the inclusion of divineMAGgees.
If It Gets Any Sweeter Than This…
May 10, 2006 by Robbie McCown · 1 Comment
A former member of the Boulder, Colorado group, Newcomers Home, a band she helped form while in college, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Katie Herzig continues to keep her musical wheel spinning with a remarkable solo catalogue worthy of people looking for something refreshing and good.
Herzig’s first solo album was Watch Them Fall, a collection of self-penned and collaborative folk-pop songs which listeners will surely enjoy, perhaps marking slight comparisons to more notable folksters like Shawn Colvin and Jonatha Brooke. Yet, Herzig has her own sound; her voice able to effortlessly balancing the intricate acoustics and textures found on her songs.
For further proof of this, Herzig was distinct enough to become a finalist in a national songwriting showcase atthe 2004 Planet Bluegrass Folk Festival in Lyons CO in addition to having one of her songs featured on the WB’s Smallville.
Standouts here include ‘Chase Me,’ ‘Angels On The Banks,’ and ‘Over And Over’.
Watch Them Fall is available for purchase on iTunes in addition to her official site.
Weightless is Herzig’s most recent offering released earlier this year, recorded and produced by Herzig herself. The music within replicates the quality found on Watch Them Fall and is remarkably rich, but inexplicably easy to ingest. Sweet without being sickening. Herzig has somehow developed a unique talent in creating songs that are tight and lyrically smart, but not overlong and saturated with unnecessary filters.
Standouts on Weightless include ‘Fools Gold,’ ‘Sweeter Than This’ and ‘Jack And Jill,’ a song co-written with singer-songwriter, Kim Richey.
She wore that dress like it was a Saturday
Pretty as a summer rose picked in the morning
And he held her hand like she was a mystery
One he couldn’t quite believe, was walking with him
They were high up on a hill with something to say
And daylight to kill
Time slips away the way that it will
–Katie Herzig
Katie Herzig is currently performing and a few of her upcoming dates can be found below. For more, visit her official site.
Tour:
Downloads:
Walls
Over And Over
Jack And Jill
Fools Gold
WWW:
Katie Herzig
The official site which offers more samples of Ms. Herzig’s music, purchasing information and more.
Newcomers Home
The official site of Ms. Herzig’s former band, Newcomers Home, which offers song samples, photos and more.
Katie Herzig @ MySpace
Katie Herzig’s MySpace site, featuring song samples and an introduction to her music.
