Keri Noble, Fearless

I was slow to find Keri Noble-- it seems all of my friends knew who she was, and they'd bring her up and say, "You know Keri Noble, right?" and because I'd heard her name before in the very same kinds of situations, I'd say, "Oh yeah, I think so," and then they'd continue with some anecdote about her latest song or the show they'd get to see next week that I'd inevitably have to miss for one reason or another. It wasn't until the end of August, when I was sleeping on a mattress on a friend's floor for the weekend that she asked if it was okay if she played a little music, please, I love music, and I said, um, DUH it's okay, and Keri Noble's voice then captivated me. I was afraid to ask who it was, because I suspected it was her, and I was supposed to know ALL ABOUT Keri Noble. So when the friend stepped out of the room, I snuck over to the CD player and popped it open to find this album spinning 'round:

I went home that weekend, logged onto Amazon.com, and bought this baby. And let me tell you, from the first haunting note to the last, this album had me hooked. I listened to it maybe a hundred times before I finally had to rotate it out for a while, and still I've come back to it. It's simple music--the lyrics aren't complicated, the arrangements are nothing to write home about, but when it all comes together-- her voice, the pure production--it leaves you with this haunted, yet peaceful feeling. The songs are about a girl's life, plain and simple--from "Look at Me," a song about a girl reaching out to a friend (or a man) in need, to "Let it Rain," a cathartic, bluesy release of song, perfect for driving through a downpour (and I did it once or twice. There's something so poetic about singing this song, meaning every word, while the rain pours itself on you), and then onto "Bartender," a waltz in minor. A waltz in minor! What more could anyone ask for? Nothing, that's what. The real gem in all of this, though, is the girl's voice. She's just got... it.

She's a less wordy Sara Bareilles, a less beachy Colbie Caillat, a darker Ingrid Michaelson, and a lesser known Duffy. And this album is a 2004 release. I know more has come since, and I'm excited to find out what more she's released for us to hear.