STRONG, BLONDE, DARK AND BEAUTIFUL…
LIKE A YOUNG MARIANNE FAITHFUL
"The way I choose to show my feelings is through my songs." ~ Marianne Faithfull
"When a diamond is dark gray, a very dark green or truly black, it is referred to in the trade as a 'black diamond.' Such a stone may be opaque to nearly semitransparent."
In performance, Lissie commanded the stage at The Hotel Café with a guitar and her voice on the night of Meiko's celebrated CD release party. That's got to be a special situation. With no band to an audience most likely brought out by another singer, gotta bring more than "what the hell" to keep from being background music to a room full of conversation. Lissie's songs, her voice and guitar won that audience. The songs brought cheers and won listeners. She rocks back and forth while singing, from a coiled energy other and faster than the pulse of the music.
The four song CD Lissie has that same live connection and conviction. The performances on the EP sound like they are happening now, without a boatload of mixing and sculpting. Sounds like a young Marianne Faithfull singing from experience. Some of Lissie's songs have repeating choruses, that could be sung at the sing along, for a crowd that enjoys singing Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is." These songs are expressive and without an ounce of cute or cuddly, but all the charm of a black diamond glistening in a campfire—both raw and polished.
Lissie's songs have been placed on such TV shows as Veronica Mars and The OC as well as the documentary "Who Killed The Electric Car." She can be heard as "Blue Jean Queen" in "The Demin Man Family Band."
THE SONGS
ON MY CHEST ~ The piano outlines the chord simple and no frills. "It's an abstract place where I hold you, and my relief I felt gets confused. And I have cried a couple of times when I'm wondering about you." The song her is a written verse set beautifully chorus about a lack. "I'll never feel your head resting on my chest." Love the following blindside complication. "It's a shame we had to say goodbye before we'd ever met. I am forever last." The drama in the voice here is unsentimental and deeply felt—a great quality seldom found in popular song. "When all it took was a choice and things could be different now." The song of the loss of what might have been.
BRIGHT SIDE ~ "It's just me and my puppy. Together we are so very happy. The bitter world won't bring us down. No, I'm looking on the bright side of things." This is a shuffle of a whistle bearing song, with a little honky tonk feeling and the sound of a crowd around the piano. This might be a dark song by Melanie in darker brand new key, or something catchy by Kurt Weil on a good day. The clink of several beers in a toast closes the deal. This song is dark and happy. "Just me and my hubby." "Just me and my guitar." The bitter world part remains the same, and the happy. "Nothing will be taken from my hands now… How can I pass on love and understanding."
FIRST TO SAY GOODBYE ~ "I'll be the first to say goodbye. Why stick around to be mistreated, misunderstood, and defeated?" There's a harmonizing voice that brings this song a little closer. "Cause they can't go if I'm already gone… And they won't know what I knew all along… Part ways. Part ways." Feels good to hear it sung right. Bet this song will be a lifesaver on some goodbye night. Good to have a song like this to sing on such a painful night.
NO SENSE AT ALL ~ A broken darkly playful "Oh my my, oh my my my my, oh my" precedes the guitar like an unguarded warm up. "My company is keeping me and I'm better off alone." Is a handclap waltz time wail of a song. The hook here is simple enough for a toy piano, but is smarter on a straight 88. "I tingle and I smile and then my insides turn. This man will be my downfall, I still haven't learned… I'm looking for the answer in a strange man's eyes, and it makes no sense at all." There are two vocal tracks both expressed completely for the chorus, giving more weight than a backing vocal. The simple piano, the handclaps, and those voices. I find myself singing along to "it makes no sense at all." Might be my theme song today. Feels better singing. This is as pared down as it gets—front porch straight like that song you ask a neighbor to sing after supper makes you feel better. Makes sense to me.
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