December 6, 2006

Let me begin by letting you know how humbling and inspiring all the great emails about WRAX changing formats and Reg's Coffee House losing its flagship station have been. The outpouring of good vibes and heartfelt thanks have reaffirmed my belief in the power of music and its ability to be therapeutic, inspiring and to move the human spirit. Everyone in the Reg's Coffee House camp hopes to be back on the Birmingham airwaves soon. Keep an eye on the website (www.regscoffeehouse.com) and sign up for the email while you are there so you will know the second it happens.

OK, enough about the past, let's move into the future. Lately I have been listening to a ton of incredible music from female singer-songwriters. I've always been a fan of this underrated, underappreciated segment of the music world and recently, there seems to be an enormous amount of great music and songs coming from this particular genre. I'm gonna focus on 4 artists that have been monopolizing my listening time as of late.

1) Ingrid Michaelson - "Girls And Boys" (Cabin 24 Records) - I owe a big THANKS to my good buddy Lynn Grossman for turning me onto this artist. Michaelson's music was recently featured on Grey's Anatomy and it only took me one listen to know I was hooked. As a matter of fact, it took me 30 minutes to get past the third track "Breakable" because I just kept replaying it over and over again. My office neighbor came in and had to know who I was listening to as he thought it sounded great. Her sound takes me back to a band called Fairground Attraction and the beauty of lead Siren Eddi Reader's voice. Well written, thought out songs and the voice of an angel (whom I bet drinks whisky in smoky bars) combine to make an album that will enrapture you with one listen ingridmichaelson.com / myspace.com/ingridmichaelson . "Girls And Boys" is already one of my top records of the year and I've only been listening to it for a week.

2) Tift Merritt - "Another Country - demo" (Unsigned) - OK, I have to put a little disclaimer on this one. Don Van Cleave and I often refer to Tift as our little sister so one might contend that this is biased but the truth is, if you can listen to her new demos and not be swept away by the voice and songs, you might need to get your ears checked. I never thought I would hear anything more breathtaking than Tift's original demos (which should be released as a record by the way). That was until her latest demos showed up on my desk. Tift Merritt is the Emmylou Harris and Maria McKee of her generation. I can't wait until you all can hear her latest songs as they will go one step further toward proving what I have been screaming since I first heard Tift's precious voice. Artists like Tift Merritt don't come along often so make sure you discover her as soon as you can. Hey Tift, put some of these demos up on your myspace page. Share the wealth baby! tiftmerritt.com / myspace.com/tiftmerritt

3) Clare Burson - "Thieves" (Unsigned) - I've said it before and I will say it again, you owe it to yourself to discover the music of Clare Burson. Here delicate, fragile voice harkens back to something from the 20's or 30's and her songs will downright break your heart. I love this quote about Burson; "...If Lucinda Williams grew up on Yo La Tengo ballads instead of Hank Williams blues, she'd sound something like Clare Burson... who draws lightly on country and soul melodies to illuminate her dark, cloudy indie-rock supplications." - Roy Kasten, The Riverfront Times, 8/23/06 Burson recently moved to New York, NY, and has wasted no time up there making a name for herself on the indie singer-songwriter scene. Her latest CD is yet another trip through life's ups and downs, loves and losses and triumphs and tribulations. One of you labels needs to pick her up because Burson needs to be heard. clareburson.com / myspace.com/clareburson

4) The Poems - "Young America" ( Minty Fresh) - I think this Scottish band's songwriter Rodger Hodgens summed it up best when he wrote "There's always a point in every single important event in one's life, where what could be becomes what could have been. That's what these songs are about to us, that beautiful futility." OK, technically this isn't a female singer songwriter but the vocalists are female and I'm going to lump The Poems in this genre to add a little twist to my list. Besides, one of the two female vocalist's, Amy Ogletree (the other is Kerry Polwart) fathers was the drummer for Simple Minds. That has to be worth something. The music is haunting, melodic, sweeping, hypnotizing?"Young America" is the soundtrack for anyone who finds themselves on one of life's journeys into darkness and the unknown. If you love Camera Obscura, Mazzy Star, Ivy?you will be all up in The Poems. myspace.com/thepoemsmusic

Keep your ears and eyes peeled for updates on Reg's Coffee House. I hope to have some big news for you all shortly. In the meantime, enjoy the music from the ladies I mentioned and here's the playlist for this week's one hour program.

Peace,
Reg

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