Friday, April 04, 2014

Girls! Girls! Girls! (An Occasional Week Long Series): Part V -- Special Saving the Best for Last Edition

Okay, this is on at least one level a mea culpa story, so please try not to think unkindly of me.

The short version: Some time last summer, a faithful reader and blog pal (whose name I won't mention, but whose initials are Phil Cheesebrough) sent me a care package of CDs by some artists he liked and was helping out in an unofficial capacity; some of them were from his local area, and some were by a Nashville-based singer/songwriter named Liz Longley. As is my wont, I immediately put them onto my Stack of CDs to Listen To at Some Point, which then as now is about six hundred feet high.

I didn't listen to them, is what I'm getting at. Hey, I'm not proud of it.

Cut to a couple of weeks ago: Phil sent me an e-mail with a picture of Ms. Longley....


...who, as you can see, was holding a copy of Floor Your Love, the brilliant CD featuring a bass player whose name rhymes with Sleeve Nimels (and which you can order from ZERO HOUR RECORDS over HERE); Phil informed me that Ms. Longley planned to listen to it in the car during a forthcoming day or so's drive to her next gig.

I found this both amusing and flattering, as you can imagine, and I asked Phil who she was, and should I be listening to her music?

He replied "Schmuck. She's the woman whose CDs I sent you last year, you insensitive philistine clod." (He actually phrased it more politely, but that's what he probably meant. Certainly, it's what I deserved.)

In any event, to my immense relief I found I still had the CDs, which I then played, and whaddya know -- it turns out Phil was absolutely right; Longley is great. Truly; a voice to die for, and a really terrific writer.

Here's a video to give you an idea.



And from one of those CDS, here's her stunning version of "River" -- pretty much my favorite Joni Mitchell song ever, and she does it total justice.



I should add that when I played that on my pal Allan Rosenberg's intertube radio show a few weeks ago, I introduced it as being by Joni Rivers. As in -- can we talk?

Hey, I was sipping elitist chardonnay at the time.

Anyway, you can find out more about Liz -- including how to order her CDs -- over at her website HERE.

Act now -- you'll thank me.

Oh, and I should also add that Liz just got signed by a label that a) you'll have actually heard of and b) is a perfect fit for her, artistically. Her most recent self-issued CD is set to get a national release in the fall. I'll keep you posted.

7 comments:

Feral said...

To date I had never heard a cover of "River" that I had thought worthy of the effort. No longer.

steve simels said...

I'm actually fond of Robert Downeys version from the Ally McVeal soundtrack, but otherwise I'm in total agreement.

steves said...

I'm now smitten.

steve simels said...

She's pretty great.
:-)

Brooklyn Girl said...

I really love her voice --- makes listening to a Joni song positively wonderful (yes, I admit, she's not one of my favorites).

And Liz deserves a copy of the CD with the revised cover and liner notes, don't you think? :-)

Bill Sammon said...

My wife & I caught Liz at a house concert she did with Barnaby Bright, an excellent duo. Glad you've finally discovered her. She's a marvelous performer.

Phil Cheese said...

Steve,

How about a follow up to this story after you see Liz in concert at Rockwell Music Hall?
I hope you have time to stay afterwards to meet her. I'm jealous you get to see her with a full band. That other reader is correct, Liz deserves the new ZeroHour copy. And you should be the one to give it to her this time, not me. Have a great time!