i've tried checking her stuff out a few times and i always have the same reaction to it. i can understand why this is thought of highly amongst some young people, as it is certainly more elaborate than a lot (not all) of the stuff being done by her contemporaries. so, i'm certainly preferring this to alot of the other witch house and related stuff of the last few years; it's less sequenced, more organic, flows better,etc. she's a blues singer, which gives her more grit. on the other hand, i happen to be familiar with her influences, which a lot of young people aren't, and that makes it come off as a stripped down, ultra-pop version of the stuff she's drawing on. so, i'm just left reaching for a couple of records released 25-30 years ago...
i think there's some potential here, but it's a little bit iffy, as it tends to be with artists that are focused on making pop music. it's conceivable that she could spin out something more abstract by drawing on those influences, but it seems more likely that she's going to try and tone the abstractions down.
so, i feel obligated to keep an ear open, but am equally obligated to suggest people check out diamanda galas or annie lennox or sinead o'connor or jarboe.
