Another CD review, but shorter and with no semi-witty caption…

Over the past couple of years, I've found myself becoming a real sucker for female vocalists. This isn't something entirely new - as a kid, I totally dug it when I found my folks' old Jefferson Airplane albums, and in the earlyish 90s, I started becoming an Alanis, Tori and Sheryl Crow fan (still a fan of Alanis and Tori, but not so much of Crow anymore). But more and more lately, I've really been getting into female singers, both the bigger and obvious acts (Evernescence, Garbage, No Doubt) and some lesser known ones (Beth Orton comes to mind in this category). If you haven't figured out where I'm going with this review yet, I want to talk about a female vocalist. In particular, Anna Nalick and her debut Wreck of the Day.

While a lot of folks may not have heard of Nalick yet, I get the impression that she's getting a good label push, as I've been seeing posters popping up all around town and I've started hearing her first single, Breathe (2 am), on the radio quote a lot. Plus, a quick online search shows that she's getting pretty great reviews since the disc came out last month.

Musically, I guess Nalick falls into the singer/songwriter category, although I find her stuff to be more musically full than a lot of other singer/songwriter stuff. The music backing her is at times poppy, at times catchy, at times very pretty and always interesting. The songs flow well from slower ballady stuff to faster upbeat tunes. But of course, the real focus is on her vocals, and she does not disappoint. She's got a very smooth and silky voice, with an ever-so-subtle scratch in the background (and even a hint of country?). Lyrically, she presents some very vivid and mature images, showing a sophistication without the forced pretension of a Fiona Apple (where'd she go, by the way?). I approve.