Zee Avi - self-titled album and March 27, 2009 Hotel Cafe Show

Being positively inundated on a day to day basis with singer-songwriter submissions, I've taken a jaded approach to the genre, admittedly being much quicker to decide I'm unimpressed by a guy/girl and their guitar. Which is why I was doubly impressed with Zee Avi and the fact that she grabbed my attention so quickly and kept it. As soon as I heard her sweet, and almost childishly simplistic single "Bitter Heart," which effortlessly and cheerfully touches on that delicate post heartbreak state I was immediately compelled to find out as much about her as possible and acquire her album.
There is a calmness and ease in her music that I usually associate with prolific surfer turned platinum artist Jack Johnson. Which makes sense, as the Malaysian singer songwriter is currently signed to his Brushfire Records label. Brushfire was started so that Jack Johnson and his mellow (and undoubtedly hot) surfer friends could put out music they liked. To date, Zee Avi is the only female solo artist on the label and I'm happy to say she can hold her own with the boys and remains one of my favorites on the label.
As it turned out, Zee Avi happened to be playing at the wonderfully intimate Hotel Cafe tonight which is one of my favorite venues - small, dark, and red, it's so cozy it could probably make sex up mediocre music, though I've only seen really good artists there. Hotel Cafe magic or not, Zee Avi was simply delightful. She was as poised in her banter as in her music, and the transition from talking to singing barely registered in her voice, which in my opinion, is a mark of a singer who has found their true singing voice. She moved with ease between the guitar and the ukulele and treated the audience like a living room full of friends she had just given a hug to, which quite frankly, I just might have done if I had the chance to embarrass myself.
Though her entire set was lovely, with her jazz tinged acoustic numbers boasting just the right amount of charm and poignancy and sounding every bit as crisp as the recorded versions, the crowning jewel to me were her covers. A well placed cover, especially an unexpected one, can tell you a lot about an artist's tastes and influences, and woo you with the familiarity doctored by the artist's personal style. Zee Avi has an unexpected taste for the post punk gothic sound I'm so obsessed with; she performed Morrissey's "First of the Gang to Die," as a wistful ballad, which appears on her album. What surprised me, however, was the gorgeous rendition of Interpol's "Slow Hands" that, when slowed down and stripped away of guitars with distortion, showcased the lyrics, which are quite poetic.
As I haven't been this excited about a female solo artist since Adele, I can only hope that Zee Avi's career takes a similar arc as she continues to quietly rock.

Hear what all the buzz is about.

Natty - Man Like I (album)

Ok so I'm cheating - this album isn't out yet in the US and I don't actually know a release date but I know that has never stopped a savvy music listener from hearing something great. . .
The first thing that struck me listening to Natty's calmly rasping vocals and reggae rhythms was just how much he sounded like Spearhead (who I love.) But I wasn't satisfied just saying "Oh he sounds like Spearhead," and writing him off - I liked the album a little too much to do that, so I set out to figure out what it was that I liked so much about him that differentiated him from Spearhead.After much contemplation and car time, I've decided that what it all comes down to is the weather; and more specifically, warmth.
Spearhead's music is clearly from California - quirky, colorful, and summery. True, he has some more somber songs, but on all his albums, Michael Franti has perfectly crafted songs that are bright to the point of being celebratory and perfectly suited forthe dreadlocked masses to dance barefoot to before going off to eat something vegetarian.
And it's likely that Natty caters to the same crowd. But coming from a freezing place like London, warmth is something that needs to be contained, and likely indoors. The resulting sound is every as bit as warm, but much more intimate and cozy in a "lets huddle by the fire" kind of way as opposed to a "let's go frolic in the sun."
Keeping that in mind, whole debut Man Like I is a really enjoyable listen both pleasant and mellow in a way not unlike Jack Johnson. And within this good album lie a couple of great songs. Notably, the wistfully charming "Coloured Souls." Chillingly intimate and wistful, there is an earnestness to the song that I think can push it past the hippie world and into the pop realm.
Other highlights include "Badman," which boasts a nice bit of scat, and the slightly more urgent "Cold Town."