Pictured Alexandra Slate and Ani DiFranco.
** Edie Brickell at Park West, (773) 929-5959, on April 20
Some Girls is an underrated trio led by occasional Blake Baby and solo artist Juliana Hatfield, and includes Freda Love (also formerly of Blake Babies) and Heidi Gluck. It's easy to see how the smart and punchy, and occasionally funky tunes, on Feel It (Koch) got lost in the shuffle, because they don't really fit into any corporate radio format. That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. The title track is a pleasing number that sets the tone and lip-glossy 'The Prettiest Girl' sounds like it belonged on the soundtrack to the movie Thirteen. The hip-shaker 'Necessito' opens with the lines 'get up off me/I need coffee' and then goes on to sing the praises of music as a speed substitute, and then turns its fiery gaze at the 'burned-out and brain dead critics.' The painful 'Almost True' finds the singer comparing herself to the girl of her lover's dreams and 'On My Back' celebrates the joys of becoming 'one with the couch I'm living on.' While you're at it, check out The Grotto (4AD) by Hatfield's longtime Boston music scene contemporary Kristin Hersh.
Like both Hatfield and Hersh (of Throwing Muses), Courtney Love is first associated with the band in which she got her start. Although Hole released only three albums, they were the kinds of recordings (particularly 1994's Live Through This) that left a mark. Taking a break from a fits and starts movie career, Love has finally released a solo album, America's Sweetheart (Virgin), with several songs co-written by out songwriter Linda Perry. An egomaniacal affair, from the Vargas-like cover illustration of Love (and her new nose), to the irony-laden title, to her 'I am the center of the universe' declaration in 'Hold On To Me,' Love loves Love. Opening track, first single, and tripped-out music video 'Mono' rocks like a mother and finds Love in fine form, foul mouth and all. The pseudo Strokes stalker cut 'But Julian, I'm A Little Bit Older Than You' offers a nod to the Ramones and 'Sunset Strip' is Love's finest acting job to date. Love sounds right at home singing 'All The Drugs In The World,' offers the listener a religious experience on 'Life Despite God,' and name-drops with a hit of humor on 'Zeplin Song.' At the same time, consider Auf Der Mar (Capitol), the solo debut by former Hole (and Smashing Pumpkins) bass player Melissa Auf Der Mar.
Beth Hart had a hit in the late '90s with the track 'L.A. Song,' but we haven't heard much from her since that time. Leave The Light On (Koch), her newest album, following a personal battle with addiction, is a spiritually infused collection of songs, opening with Hart wishing she could 'stand on the rock where Jesus stood' on 'Lifts You Up.' Hart continues to testify on 'Leave The Light On,' 'Bottle Of Jesus,' 'World Without You,' 'Lay Your Hands On Me,' 'Lifetime,' 'If God Only Knew' and 'Sky Full Of Clover.' Young Alexandra Slate sings like she's looking forward to making some of the mistakes for which Hart is repenting on her album Edge Of The Girl (Hollywood) and Carina Round sounds completely unrepentant on The Disconnection (Weapons of Mass Entertainment/Interscope), on which she rabidly rips through a set of nine tunes.
Beginning with the cover photo of Denise James for her album It's Not Enough To Love (Rainbow Quartz) and continuing through the jangly vintage pop of her songs, you are in for a retro road trip. The strongest songs, such as 'Hold On This Time,' 'Come Home To Me,' 'Love Has Got Me Crying Again,' 'No More Goodbyes,' and the twangy instrumental 'Just Like That,' have subtle kick to them. Otherwise, James just sounds like a Hope Sandoval clone on the other ones. For those that like this sort of thing, may I also suggest Truly She Is None Other (Damaged Goods) by Holly Golightly and Destination Girl by Finishing School (the first solo project by Sasha Bell of the Ladybug Transistor and the Essex Green renown).
In the late '70s and early '80s, Leah Kunkel, Nicolette Larson, Rosemary Butler, Valerie Carter and Marcy Levy, women who made a name for themselves as back-up vocalists for artists such as Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Eric Clapton and others, stepped out with their own solo albums. Kate Markowitz joins that tradition with her album Map Of The World (Compass). Shawn Colvin provides backing vocals on the tracks 'Luckier Girls' and 'These Wheels.' Openly gay backing vocalists David Lasley and Arnold McCuller can be heard on 'Lay Away' and 'Love In The Ruins.' Singer and fiddler Andrea Zonn also makes her way to the front on Love Goes On (Compass). Zonn, who exhibits excellent tastes in cover tunes (including songs by Beth Nielsen Chapman, Karla Bonoff, Neil Finn and Tim Finn) is assisted by Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, Tim O'Brien, Darrell Scott and others, sounds like she could have benefited from a boost of self-assurance.
One-time New Bohemian Edie Brickell took some time off from her music career to be a wife to Paul Simon and a mother to their child. Brickell has returned with Volcano (Cherry/Universal), a less than volcanic effort that does, nevertheless, remind us of her appeal. There is a maturity evident in her songwriting, as well, which makes songs such as 'Rush Around,' 'I'd Be Surprised,' the title track, 'Take A Walk,' and 'What Would You Do,' indications of who she is now, instead of who she was.
Independent-minded female folk singers continue to come in all shapes and sizes and sounds. Gwendolyn, for instance, dips her sound in honey and then rolls it around in a junkyard on Dew (gwendolyn.net). Lisa Cerbone ties her voice around her songs like a satin ribbon on the Mark Kozelek-produced Ordinary Days (Little Scrubby Music). On Home (Dane Street Artists), Deb Pasternak furnishes hers with country and jazz touches. Debbie Hennessey distinguishes her songs with a country lilt on Rustic Heart (Squeaky Cat).
Suiting up for the long walk back to herself, Ani DiFranco strips it down to the bare minimum on her latest studio effort Educated Guess (Righteous Babe). 'Life knocked me off of my platforms/so I pulled out my first pair of boots/bought on the street at Astor Place/ before New York was run by suits,' she says on the spoken-word disc opener 'Platforms,' and for a non-conformist such as DiFranco, the changes that have occurred in New York City during her lifetime must seem drastic. But the changes in New York parallel the changes in DiFranco, as well. She was queer, then married to a man, then divorced. She's been a punk rock folk singer, a neo-pop priestess, and she's been known to be buoyed by a shiny brass section. Like New Yorkers who love their city, no matter what, DiFranco's devoted fans will most likely snap up Educated Guess, but like me, they will mourn the Ani of old (see: Little Plastic Castles or Dilate or Out Of Range). Many of DiFranco's fans like to sing along with her, but nearly impenetrable songs such as 'Swim,' 'Bliss Like This,' 'Bodily,' and 'You Each Time,' make it almost impossible to do so. Some comfort and familiarity can be found in songs such as 'Animal' and 'Raincheck,' and it's anybody's 'guess' if DiFranco has more songs like these in her future.
