KATIE MELUA

Pictures

2009-05-26

Katie Melua, born in Georgia (the country, not the U.S. state), burst on to the UK music scene with a voice and a debut mixture of folk, blues and jazz that called to mind the late Eva Cassidy. Melua's ability to turn any song into a soulful banquet made that release, "Call Off the Search," an English smash (and it is tucked in with most of Eva's catalog in our jazz section of the library). However, like Cassidy, Melua has always been pulled between genres and in this third release (like the one prior), the balance tips away from blues/jazz and toward singer-songwriter territory. "Mary Pickford" and "If the Lights Go Out" are examples of her storytelling side; "Perfect Circle" is a reminder of her jazz inclinations. "Ghost Town" is a reggae-inflected tune that also captures her soulful side and she closes with a smoky version of Leonard Cohen's "In My Secret Life." F-Contemporary 05/09 Michael J.

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Folk

  • reviewed 07/2017

    John Dennis
    Second Wind

  • reviewed 07/2015

    Flagship Romance
    Fee Fie Foh Fum

  • reviewed 10/2011

    BLIND WILLIES
    Needle, Feather, and a Rope

  • reviewed 02/2007

    PO GIRL
    Home to You

  • reviewed 08/2016

    Dave McGraw & Mandy Fer
    Off Grid Lo-Fi

  • reviewed 02/2006

    ROSEANNE CASH
    Black Cadillac

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.