Lilith's revenge

by Gregg Shapiro

I'm not sure if Britney and Christina and Jessica and Jennifer Lopez were invented by record company executives as a response to the diva waifs of Lilith Fair, but it is ironic that they appeared just as the female singer/songwriter festival was fading. Would Lilith founder Sarah McLachlan have invited any of these women to perform if the Fair was still in existence? It's doubtful. Whether or not Lilith Fair ever returns, there are several female vocalists that have recently released albums with appeal to fans of that festival.

I'll never understand why former child TV star Danielle Brisebois never achieved the success she deserved as a recording artist. Both of her albums are terrific and the former Broadway child star (you can hear her on the original cast recording of Annie, as one of the orphans) can belt out a tune. Brisebois and Gregg Alexander (of New Radicals fame) have come to the aid of Carly Hennessy on her debut disc Ultimate High (MCA). Brisebois and Alexander, who have a knack for creating sunny pop numbers, co-produced and co-wrote most of the songs on the album with Hennessy. Hennessy, a first-rate belter on par with Brisebois, even covers "Just Missed The Train," a song that appeared on both of Brisebois's albums. Other recommended tracks include "I'm Gonna Blow Your Mind," "You'll Never Meet God (If You Break My Heart)," "What I've Found," and the exquisite "Rip In Heaven."

Like Davis, Beth Hirsch has just released her second full-length album Titles & Idols (!K7). Most recognizable as the woman who sang and co-wrote the songs "All I Need" and "You Make It Easy" on Air's seminal Moon Safari album, Hirsch went acoustic on her folky debut album Early Days. Working with the legendary Black Dog production team on several tracks, Hirsch returns to the electronic landscape on her new disc. The synthetic beats and blips support her subtle vocals (think Beth Orton), and songs such as the title track, "I Know Why," "Nest Sensation," "Nigel & Fiona," and "Hindsight," are wonderful examples of the way that technology can be made to sound more human and less mechanical.

When you listen to Postcards From Downtown (Kismet) by Dayna Kurtz you'll agree that she would certainly have found a place on one of Lilith Fair's side stages and she probably would have gathered a substantial crowd. From the gorgeous "Love Gets In The Way" to the dark "Somebody Leave A Light On" (with guest vocals by Richie Havens) to the verdant blues of "Miss Liberty" to the delicate folk of "Satisfied," Kurtz has sent listeners the musical equivalent of a "wish you were here" postcard.

Antidote (Misra) is the first solo project by Jenny Toomey. You may know Toomey from her artist activism or from her membership in bands such as Tsunami or Liquorice (whose 1995 Listening Cup remains a favorite of mine to this day). Antidote, an ambitious two-disc set, is comprised of recordings made in two different cities. Chicago, disc one, was produced by Toomey and in-demand David Trumfio. Backed up by stars of the local scene such as Johnny Navin (Aluminum Group), Edith Frost, and Andrew Bird (Andrew Bird's Bowl Of Fire), Toomey sounds like a natural (imagine The Sea & Cake with a female lead vocalist). "Patsy Cline," "Baby Would It Matter," "Word Traffic," "Clear Cut," and "Breezemore, PA," are among the high points of this disc. Nashville, produced by Toomey and Mark Nevers, appropriately features pedal steel guitar on "The Smell Of Him" and the bluesy ballad "Know From Me," a song that would sound perfectly natural on any of Nashville's current crop of female vocalists' albums, among others.

As an interpreter of other people's songs, Maura O'Connell is practically unsurpassed. As a recording artist for more than 20 years, O'Connell's trio of albums for Warner Brothers (including A Real Life Story), are some of the best recordings of last century. The trouble is that most labels, Warner Brothers included, don't know what to do with her. Is she an "Irish" singer? A "folk" singer"? A "pop" singer? Having also recorded for the folk label Rounder/Philo and the pop label Rykodisc, the questions remain unanswered. Her latest album, Walls & Windows (Sugar Hill), is being released by the North Carolina-based bluegrass label Sugar Hill. Dolly Parton has had some renewed success with them and Rodney Crowell recently located there. O'Connell sounds at home on Walls & Windows, putting her stamp on Patty Griffin songs such as "Poor Man's House" and "Long Road," Van Morrison's "Crazy Love," and many others.

The newcomer in this flock is Charlotte Martin and her album One Girl Army (Bongload/RCA). The piano playing singer/songwriter sounds like a cross between Tori Amos (whose most recent album was all cover tunes) and Fiona Apple (who has been MIA), and definitely fits a niche. Piano-driven songs "Silver Honey," "In Parentheses," and "Mayday For The Girl," succeeded in keeping my attention, the synthetic beats and scratching on "Getting Even" kept me focused, and "Takin' It Like A Man," had me ready to enlist. 

If your taste (or whatever you want to call it) runs toward the teen diva scene, fear not, there are plenty of new contenders. With the AOL/Time Warner machinery behind her, Lindsay Pagano's future looks bright. Her Jude Cole-produced debut disc Love & Faith & Inspiration (Warner Brothers) opens with the track "Everything U R," which can be "heard on the AOL commercial"! The album closes with "So Bad," a duet with (and written by) Sir Paul McCartney!! In between, it's "so bad" that you are advised to go directly to the surprisingly pleasant McCartney duet.