| In tribute to International Women's Day on March 8, I called up some of my favourite places to spend money and asked the cool record and CD slingers to tell me about a few of their favourite female recording artists. Some of you may already be familiar with these gals, while the rest of you have some fantastic surprises ahead of you courtesy of a few folks with very good taste.
Jon Lyne (Melodiya Records)
"Firstly, Aki Tsuyuko's Ongakushitsu (Moikai/Drag City, 2000). While there are plenty of women making music, there are still not enough making creative futurist electronic music. Originally released in Japan on Nobukazu Takemura's Child's View label in 1999, Jim O'Rourke remastered and released it in 2000 on his own label, Moikai. There's no listing of instruments or gear used to create this, and probably knowing would ruin the whole mystique of the sounds within. Moments are similar to the dream sequences of American Beauty or maybe akin to what a baby hears when they first enter this world. You'd like this if you like Oval, E.A.R., Tony Conrad, Kevin Drumm.
"Secondly, Tara Jane O'Neil's Peregrine (Quarterstick, 2000). Tara has had a productive career, starting out in Rodan, playing in Retsin and in the Sonora Pine. This record is the fruit of spending two months in a New York apartment and inviting friends over to play, contribute and hit 'record.' A nice warm, heartfelt record that doesn't get sappy. You'd like this if you like Cat Power, Patti Smith."
Lorrie Matheson (Hot Wax)
"Maria McKee because she's my favourite. Get the first two Lone Justice albums (Lone Justice and Sheltered) because she was the lead singer. And You Gotta Sin To Get Saved – it's a solo album where she does not one, but two Van Morrison covers. Life Is Sweet is another original album. She writes incredible, incredible lyrics and she's got some serious blue-eyed soul happening.
"Another artist is this country singer named Allison Moorer. She's Shelby Lynn's talented sister. She's a country singer in the classic sense of the term – she's not really Nashville today, she's 1950s Nashville. Same thing – really great songs, killer singer."
Todd Harkness (Sloth Records)
"When I first got into punk rock and underground music, I used to listen to a lot of ska and Epitaph-style SoCal punk. I loved it. However, I was one of those dummies that could never get into female singers in punk bands. How embarrassing. Fortunately, a friend of mine caught this defect at a young age and introduced me to Team Dresch and their Personal Best record. I can honestly say it changed the way I not only look at music, but at life in general. For real. One of the most honest and angry records out there, I would recommend it to anyone. Other notable artists for me include anything by Mary Lou Lord, Samuel, Ashes and The Butchies."
Catherine Gunn (HMV, TD Square)
"Liz Phair because she's emotional and carries opinions without being angry or grating. Holly Cole because of the smoky, jazzy lounge appeal. Patty Griffith because she's quite folky, very emotional, an excellent lyricist and she's very heartfelt. Neko Case just ’cause she's all on her own there, she's one of a kind at the moment ’cause there's no women doing that classic country. PJ Harvey because she's more of a poet – more interested in experimentation (or) pushing a musical genre. Poe – I do love her voice, but she seems more of an artist, more interested in layering sounds and bringing out emotion. I like great lyricists and people who don’t just sing, but invest a lot of intellect and emotion in their music.
Herb (Megatunes)
"Julie Miller (she's actually Emmylou Harris's back-up singer – she's fabulous; her husband is Buddy Miller, Emmylou's longtime guitar player), Oh Susanna, The Donnas, Sarah Harmer, Beth Orton. Of course Neko Case & Her Boyfriends have been one of our (best-selling) acts. Another folky singer named Jess Klein. Dido – she's hot now. And a great blues artist that's coming to town on March 30, Shemekia Copeland. She's like a young Etta James, who is one of our biggest, she's awesome." |
