Songs That Might Otherwise Pass You By


Rose Rossi, "I Am Trying" (Not a direct link--the artist sent me the mp3 and I uploaded it)

Maybe it's 'cause part of me feels like I'm still trying to figure myself out-- I relate to the woman reaching back into her past, trying to understand herself in relation to the little girl she used to be. Maybe it's 'cause this singer's voice is so gorgeous and the song is so utterly singable. Whatever it is, this song has absolutely got a hold on me. I want to drink a bottle of wine (which I have) and listen to this all night (which I could). This is a torch song minus the shmaltz. Her voice is rich and enveloping, never sounding strained or thin. The song has an instantly calming effect on me, like a blanket of stillness has been gently placed on me.

Myspace
(No website listed)


Rose Rossi, Photo by Alice Dison

Tommy Martine, "It's My Fault" (Not a direct link--the artist sent me the mp3 and I uploaded it)

I guess I've got a thing for strong female vocals, because Tommy Martine's voice drives this song, challenging the guitar to beat out even more fiercely. This is an acoustic demo, but it has the force and the presence of any full-scale, fully-engineered ensemble production. Tommy's only 20 and in between making music and films, also finds time to work in one of the most famous department stores in the world. She has more talent than most of the household names out there, and hopefully she won't be working at that department store forever.

Myspace
(No website listed)


Tommy Martine looking...wow...yeah.

Girl in a Coma, "Clumsy Sky"

This starts out wonderfully lulling and deceptively comforting...yeah...that's beautiful. If ya got any kind of heart problem, though (or are skittish in any way), then hold on to your pacemakers and grab your anti-anxiety pills, 'cause the song's about to change. Remember what I said about liking strong female vocals? Okay, how about three girls shattering their instruments in a frenzied attack only stymied by the boundaries of the walls and ceiling? Come to think of it, better make sure the structure holds. The song starts out sounding like a cover of one of those drifty, dreamy 60's prom songs, but it quickly morphs into an onslaught of glorious musical terror. Like Peggy Sue Got Married exploding into Carrie on steroids. They're named after a Smiths song, and they're also on Joan Jett's label. The dichotomy of this band is evident, and emphatically welcomed.

Website
Myspace
Video for "Clumsy Sky"

I'm not the only one who loves this song--this guy covered it.


Girl in a Coma, honoring the positive attributes of disorder

Bonus!!

There's a song I thought I had a legal mp3 for, but I can't find it (or perhaps dreamed I had it). It's a great song, though--it's Kate Nash, "Foundations". Here's the video.