I really enjoy listening to local musician Karen Anderson's release Figure Out Me. It blends the power of rock 'n' roll with thoughtful lyrics and a heart for the sentimental. She often plays at the Cubby Bear, with a really tight band (The Polkies) backing her up. Her latest Over the Line (Levitating Cat, 1998) is more of the same, though more assured and polished. It ranges from folk to country and rock. Though the instrumentation is quite good, what holds the whole together is Anderson's fantastic vocals. It's tougher to accommodate sweet and bittersweet in one package than it seems, but Anderson manages this feat easily. Her sound, and especially her quintessentially Mid-Western voice allow for a wide range of expression that she explores fully.
The opening track, "Letter from the Asylum" is a fantastic folk-pop lament with excellent harmonies. Other stand out tracks include: "Time Gives You Away," a traditional country love song with a humorous undercurrent: "You don't have to put up a front for me, I've seen you from behind;" "Rejection Letter, " a humorous rock-pop look at the job market from the point of view of an out of work liberal arts major. (sounds familiar...) and "The Last Song," a sad, yet hopeful folk love-gone-wrong song.
Karen is ably backed on the album by Tommy McManaman (bass), Casey Riordan (violin), Chris Walke (guitar, backing vocals), and guest John T. Rice (dobro, mandolin). The album was produced by local music stalwarts Craig Williams (Freddy Jones Band) and Rick Barnes (Nicholas Tremulis, Liquid Soul).
For more information, visit their website: http://www.rotonews.com/karenanderson
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