>Andy, i'm not familiar with Ben Lee. Jason Molina, Chan Marshall, or Joe
>Pernice. but i agree so totally wiht the rest of your list that i just
>might have to check these guys out.
They might not be your cup of tea, but here's
a short description from allmusic.com and some
sound clips to sample each one. Of course,
like any good singer-songwriter, you can't get
a full sense of their talent with song clips;
they're best taken in the context of full
albums.
-- Andy.
Ben Lee
21-year-old Australian-born singer/songwriter Ben Lee first emerged on the
alternative rock scene while still a teenager; in 1992, at the age of just
13, he and his band Noise Addict recorded a four-track demo which led to a
contract with the hip indie label Fellaheen, and within months the group
had emerged as a cult favorite, opening shows for Sonic Youth and Pavement.
Recommended CDs: "Something to Remember Me By," "Grandpa Would"
Homepage: http://www.ben-lee.com/
Sound clips: http://groove.simplenet.com/claire/bsounds.htm
Jason Molina
Songs: Ohia is one man, Jason Molina, a tenor guitar wielding songwriter
from the shores of Lake Erie. Critics often compare Songs: Ohia to
Palace/Will Oldham, and while sonically the comparison is valid, Molina's
ardent, soul-searching lyrics are more aptly compared to Neil Young or
Leonard Cohen. But ultimately, Molina's falsetto is so idiosyncratic, and
the economy placed on his guitar playing is so stringent, that full
comparisons are difficult to support.
Recommended CDs: "Axxess & Ace," "Songs: Ohia," "The Lioness"
Homepage: http://home.webworks2000.net/osiris80/songs_ohia_main2.htm
Free MP3s: http://www.epitonic.com/artists/songsohia.html
Chan Marshall
Cat Power was the alias of Chan Marshall, a Southern-bred singer/songwriter
whose father Charlie was an itinerant pianist. After dropping out of high
school, Marshall found herself in New York; performing under the name Cat
Power, she was booked as the opening act for Liz Phair, where she met Sonic
Youth drummer Steve Shelley and Two Dollar Guitar's Tim Foljahn, who agreed
to become her backing band. Cat Power's 1998 album Moon Pix continues Chan
Marshall's transformation from an indie-rock Cassandra into a reflective,
accomplished singer-songwriter. Where her previous works were an urgent,
aching mix of punk, folk and blues, Moon Pix is truly soul(ful) music -
warm, reflective, complex and cohesive.
Recommended CDs: "Moon Pix," "The Covers Record"
Homepage: http://www.matador.recs.com/cat_power/index.html
Sound clips: http://www.matador.recs.com/cat_power/music.html
Joe Pernice
After debuting his remarkable songwriting skills in the neo-country/pop
outfit Scud Mountain Boys, Joe Pernice went on to form the Pernice
Brothers, whose lushly orchestrated and sweetly despairing album (1998's
Overcome by Happiness) elicited comparisons to the Beach Boys, Big Star,
Nick Drake, and the Zombies.
Recommended CDs: "Overcome by Happiness," "Chappaquiddick Skyline"
Homepage: http://www.subpop.com/bands/pernice/
Sound clips:
http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=592648615/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=PERNICE+BROTHERS/itemid=498115
