The other night I saw the pop singer Brooke Waggoner performed three songs. It's been so long since I paid attention to contemporary pop music that I had no idea who she was. Her songs were wonderful, and I was surprised to learn when I met her that she comes from a tiny town in south Louisiana, and is a recent LSU graduate. I was so intrigued by the music that I told her I was going to download her most recent album, "Heal for the Honey," when I got home.
Lo, I got a copy of her disc on the way out, put it into my CD player on the way to work the next morning, and was blown away. This is flat-out gorgeous piano pop music, orchestral and alive with shimmering textures and eccentric melodic curlicues and irresistible hooks that reveal a musical maturity you rarely encounter in pop music, at least not in the work of an artist so young. Please go to her website and check out Brooke's work. When I heard someone say at the meeting the other night that Britain's authoritative music magazine NME called her a "pop genius," I thought that might be laying it on a little thick, but after two runs through "Heal for the Honey," I think yep, that's right.
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Much, maybe most, of the best music being made today comes from female solo singers who write their own songs -- Laura Cantrell, Leslie Feist, Tift Merritt, Erin Moran, Joanna Newsom, Gillian Welch, and perhaps the greatest of them all, the incomparable Miss Neko Case.
On the basis of the clips of hers on iTunes, Brooke Waggoner sounds as if she fits right in among that august sisterhood.
Congratulations to her on what promises to be an album of wonderful songs.
And thanks, Rod, for calling our attention to her work.
More posts on culture -- and especially the arts -- as opposed to politics, please.
Just clicking on the link and hearing "Live for the Sounds," I was immediately enchanted. I will definitely be listening to her in the future.
I agree with Hugh Henry about having more posts on culture. Remember the aphorism (and I'm paraphrasing here) "It doesn't matter who writes the laws, but rather who writes the ballads."
Thanks for the tip, Rod!
Here are some bands that you might like, then:
Eisley. A group of homeschoolers from Tyler, Texas; a wonderfully creative rock/pop band that first toured with Coldplay. Stacy and Sherri (sisters) sing and play keyboards and guitar (respectively); sister Chauntelle plays lead guitar; brother Weston on drums; cousin Garron on bass. See http://www.myspace.com/eisley A lot of songs are more upbeat, but if you like the folksy guitar sound, try "Just Like We Do." One of my favorites: "One Day I Slowly Floated Away" (last song on the Myspace page).
The Bird and the Bee. Quirky duo with a 60s-influenced sound. Check out this video.
Yael Naim. French/Jewish singer/songwriter. Notable songs: New Soul, and a cover of Britney Spears' Toxic (surprisingly good).
Fascinating. I tend to find most of your thoughts hyperbolic BS but I finally found something I agree with you on: Brooke is quite amazing.
What else do you expect from someone named "Waggoner??" LOL! Maybe I can get her a guest spot on my next CD!!
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