Friday, April 27, 2007
Perhaps we've been holding out a bit on Holly Palmer, an obsession for the last few months although really dating back to her 1996 debut album. It's not that we're ashamed to be posting about an artist not typical of our usual "underground" fair (whatever that is). In truth, Holly Palmer is one of the most talented and accomplished (yet so underappreciated)) singer-songwriters Los Angeles has to offer, which makes it more of a necessity that she be embraced by our two readers (down one from last quarter).
Actually, it's been a bit of a task trying to keep tabs on Ms. Palmer over the years. One minute, she's touring with David Bowie, the next she suddenly releases two fantastic yet hardly-promoted solo albums (I Confess and Tender Hooks both released in 2004). And then we got word she was singing with Gnarls, which we almost didn't believe until we saw her (and our friends The Sonus Quartet) on Letterman. And so the whirlwind career of Holly Palmer (can't wait for the memoires) has her back in Los Angeles to work on her own music for a change in the form of a new album Songs for Tuesday.
Tuesday is standard, brilliant Holly Palmer but this one might be our favorite yet. Her trademark themes of love and sex are in tact but this time around the honesty and intimacy of it all is felt just a bit more, no doubt benefited from the live recording production with co-producers Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Ima Robot, Macy Gray) and Joey Waronker (eels, Priscilla Ahn). The songs with the most minimal instrumentation, usually with Holly just playing a few chords on a Rhodes, are by far the most affecting. "That's Why They Call It Rome" is a clever and sophisticated yet soulful and bittersweet love song that could very well be the dark horse single of the album. "Girl in Lust" is just plain beautiful, a touching and sensual serenade if we ever did hear one. And, off the record, if you ever happen to see some fools driving around Los Angeles inexplicably weeping at the wheel, it's probably us listening to "I Want You" -- that repeated coda kills us. Seriously, that's off the record.
Holly Palmer performs 4/27 at the Hotel Cafe. New album "Songs for Tuesday" will be released soon on her own Bombshell Records.
Holly Palmer on MySpace.
Holly Palmer - "That's Why They Call It Rome" (MP3)
Holly Palmer - "I Want You" (MP3) Limited Time Download
