The most personal of the instruments, the human voice, is represented on these three releases.
Jade Bennett has an earthy, raspy snarl as she belts out her blues supported by Gino Matteo-Kit Anderson/g, Michael Burnham/b, Carson Ford/dr, Jim Pugh-Kid Anderson/key, Nic Clark/harm and Dmar/perc. She sheds a tear in her beer for the gospelish “Paid & Broke” and is in a Nashville mood with Clark on “Believe In Me” while in a mellow tone with him on “When I Close My Eyes”. There’s a dark cloud hovering on the thick “Oh Lord” and she lurks around in “Warm Inside”. Earth tones.
Singer/songwriter Chastity Brown has a slightly sandied vocal style, playing guitar and keyboards with a mix and match team including Todd Sickafoose/b, Brady Blade/dr, Greg Schutte/g and Gunnar Lidstrom/b. The sounds are reminiscent of 70s tones as on “Boston” and she stomps through “Back Seat” . Her vocal style is reminiscent of Susan Trucks, spacious on the acoustic “Sing To The Walls” and in a rich cadence on “Curiosity” while getting synthy for the soulful “Golden”. Personal portraits.