Vanessa Renee

I've been listening to a lot of Vanessa Renee lately. Her second album is a much stronger effort, and many of the songs containt brilliant lyrics and emotionally evocative melodies.

My favorite song off her new album is "Candy" which has a lyric that I absolutely love: "All I want to know is who you are, when you're by yourself." She captures that feeling of trying to penetrate the facade that most people erect around their true self.

"Free" is also a fabulous song. It's about the desire to get away from it all for a little while and just relax in the mountains. That's a feeling I identify with pretty strongly right now. I want to rest!

"Some Girls" reminds me of the standard "Peel me a grape," but in reverse. Instead of telling her lover to do crazy things for her, she tells him that that may be what some girls want, but "all I want is you." The lyrics are highlighted by humor and alliteration.

Still, to listen to a Vaness Renee CD doesn't do her justice. To really appreciate her, you have to see her live. She tells these cute little stories between songs that draw you in and help you undestand the lyrics quicker. Actually, that's not really right--what she does with the stories is make you want to listen closely to the lyrics.

Stylistically, she's groping towards jazz. She's in an in-between Tori-Amos-Sarah-Mclachlan-Norah-Jones-Diana-Krall stage right now. That's not to take anything away from her though--as an artist she's found her voice. All that's left is to find her tune, if you follow me.

If I end up moving to Washington she will be something about the Greenville area that I sorely miss.