Songs Are Like Tattoos: Female Singer-Songwriter Rolling Thread

Noa Babayof - From A Window To A Wall

sad chamber-folk album, released in 2007 and immediately ignored despite the Greg Weeks/Espers connection. listen if you like Marissa Nadler and Nick Drake or if "Give Me a Smile" is your favorite Sibylle Baier song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrQBGWsGIO4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2WG6raAJnM

the whole album is on on bandcamp actually. I didn't realize it was originally released in Israel (she moved from there to Philadelphia for the sake of her music). it doesn't seem like she's released anything else in the past 5 years.

http://www.stolenrecordings.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/The-Moths-Are-Real.jpg

Serafina Steer - The Moths Are Real

Really pretty I thought! Anyway, the first fs-s of the new year I've heard and enjoyed. A little glittery, shimmering but her voice is very light and pleasant.

is the rolling female singer-songwriter thread sexist?

definitely

no mention of Mariee Sioux on this incredibly sexist thread? she's Alela Diane's soul sister, apparently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmF6DmQoqEE

not just sexist but incomplete!

Sera Cahoone:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I1NfjXCcAc

Thumbs up on the Serafina Steer album, nice record!

http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/files/2013/01/samantha-crain-kidface-cover.jpg

so this samantha crain album is pretty great

Only one listen in, but this new Waxahatchee sounds exactly like Kathleen Edwards recording an early Liz Phair record, to me, so I think I'm gonna like it.

Someone over on the Electric Mole Forums (a Shiina Ringo board) has good things to say about Torres, who sounds okay to me (the whole singer-writer deal isn't really my thing most of the time):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkSLJOZX62w

Cibelle put out a new song yesterday and... wow?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc-BL1fav5U

That Torres album is briliant.

the new kt tunstall record is incredible

just these gorgeous and spare arrangements; the way the elements build softly out of the track on stuff like "crescent moon" and "chimes" is breathtaking. the songs are simple, sharp, super pretty

Nadine Shaw doesn't seem to have been mentioned on ilx. Gloomy. Album on Spotify now. I like it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkg-BZI-WRA

Sorry, Nadine Shah.

http://d3c1jucybpy4ua.cloudfront.net/data/18204/main_article/Laura-Veirs-album-cover-Warp-Weft.jpg?1375166305

Laura Veirs - Warp + Weft

the new kt tunstall record is incredible

huh. I don't like it nearly as well as the last two. not much to hold onto. also FUUUUUUCK that A. Bird whistling solo in the 2nd tune, what the hell guys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JxwSMUd6E8

^ Laura Groves who previously went under the name Blue Roses. It's *very* Bat For Lashes/Kate Bush but I like it anyhow.

have i mentioned how much i love the new laura veirs?

Yeah, it's pretty great.

http://www.npr.org/2014/06/01/317090235/first-listen-first-aid-kit-stay-gold?ft=1&f=1039

http://www.npr.org/2014/09/07/345594161/first-listen-lia-ices-ices

thank god 4 npr first listen amirite?

http://s11.postimg.org/vrdvszy83/Beccy_Owen_Imago_album_cover.png

Beccy Owen – Imago

My favourite album in years, and maybe the most universal one she'll ever make. The story is fairly self-explanatory. Quite simple arrangements, mostly just voice and piano, and it's not a long album at all. Just right. Great songwriting, especially on the second half (the sad bit).

Listen at https://open.spotify.com/album/6fysZ4KUlXw6bWqOwYwea2
(Bandcamp is less listening, more buying)

Beccy Owen's other work has covered things like musical theatre, lullabies, an upcoming charity album mourning the British socio-political situation, and other such commercial shoo-ins.

so far this year:

Jesca Hoop - Memories Are Now
Aimee Mann - Mental Illness
Laura Marling - Semper Femina
Miranda Lee Richards - Existential Beast
Nicole Atkins - Goodnight Rhonda Lee

The Aimee and Laura records have multiple highlights, definitely.

the new waxahatchee album also tremendous but u already know that

Sunny Sweeney - Trophy

i was listening to that a lot last night. pretty uneven imo. some great tracks but stuff like "nothing wrong with texas," or "i feel like hank williams tonight" just feel terribly trite

https://johannawarren.bandcamp.com/album/chaotic-good