Angie Giles - Surface (1993) & Stone Prayers (1996)

Thanks to a request from Giba, I present you with Angie Giles' only two solo albums.  Much thanks to the kind people who saw these on my want list and shared them with me. Funny enough, it was already my next planned post.  This just put a fire under my butt. And since I have little time for the blog lately, it's just as well that I can't find much info on the lady.  I do know that she was born in the UK, but has connections to Perth, Australia. Her big break was in 1988 singing back-up on British singer-songwriter Julia Fordham's debut album.  In 1991, pairing with Fordham collaborator Michael Moran as The Main Thing, she released a remake of Fordham's "My Lover's Keeper".  That same year Fordham recorded a song the duo wrote, "Melt". Soon Giles moved on to a solo career after being signed to Island Records. In 1992 she released the single "Submerge".  This was how I heard of her because I came across the 12" single many years ago, which features remixes by Driza Bone and Perfecto.  The song was an underground club hit, with its soulful and almost deep house sound. The less club bound "Silent Way" was released soon after, but to little fanfare.  Her album Surface followed in 1993, but was only released in Japan due to the lukewarm reception of the singles.  It also included "My Lover's Keeper" and her version of "Melt". She also did a feature vocal on the song "Abracadabra" by Dreams 2 Reality that same year. Following this, she continued to work with Fordham and also did back up vocals for other artists, including Isle postee Eve Gallagher. Then, in 1996, she released her second album, Stone Prayers. It was also a Japan only release, and the vibe was much less soul and much more folk. After this she went back to backing vocals again, most notably appearing on Atomic Kitten's hit "Whole Again". In 2002 she did another feature vocal on the house song "Say You'll Be Mine" by Mimosa.  Moving to the US, she hooked up with her nephew Pat Giles (aka Hiro?) and formed the duo The Life Project. They released two albums, Life Project in 2005 and LP2: The Cut + The Mix in 2008.  Their sound was very chillwave and drum n' bass.  Since then it's anyone's guess what Angie is up to, which is a shame, since she has an amazing deep and soulful voice.  In my opinion, her albums were not the right platform for her voice.  They are somewhat snoozy, and I think she would have been better served to belt out on house songs.  Perhaps this is how she will emerge in the future, as the full on house diva she deserves to be.

UPDATE:  Angie herself wrote and had the following to say.  An honour to have you visit and comment, Angie!  Feel free to fill us in on the rest of your career!

"Wow! Fame at last. Famous for not being famous! Thanks for the amazingly accurate account of at least part of my 35 year career, well done you! By the way, both Life Project albums are still available on iTunes - just sayin'😉. My name is Angie Giles and I approve this message xox."

Download Surface

1 Silent Way
2 Sleeper
3 Submerge
4 My Lover's Keeper
5 Surface
6 Anybody's Guess
7 Melt
8 Liberty
9 Only Human
10 Patch Of Blue
11 Submerge (The Perfecto Remix)

Download Stone Prayers

1 Now You're Gone
2 Save Me
3 In My Dreams
4 Still Call You Baby
5 Main Thing
6 Stone Prayers
7 Nobody Moves Like You
8 House Of Shadows
9 Love's Window
10 Surface In Time
11 Now You're Gone (Extended Mix)

Ruby Amanfu - So Now The Whole World Knows (1998) and Smoke & Honey (2003) DOUBLE POST!!

Here we have an artist who, like so many other lost pop stars, was a victim of record label turmoil and interference. Ruby Amanfu was born in Accra, Ghana, and as a small child moved to Tennessee, where she honed her songwriting and vocals and, while attending high school, recorded and released her debut album, So Now The Whole World Knows, on an indie label (Thanks Liz!). She then attended Berklee College Of Music in Boston, but soon moved back to Nashville to attend Belmont University and worked on promoting the album. Ruby was compared to artists like Tracy Chapman and Jewel due to her thoughtful lyrics and folk sound. She was soon snatched up by Polydor - but in the UK. It's actually not that surprising, as Ruby comes off as a cross between two once popular British singers, Gabrielle and Samantha Mumba. She was teamed up with a slew of popular Nordic producers, some who worked with artists like Britney, Dannii, Geri, and Sophie, and also on other albums featured here like Stella Soliel, Juliette, and Lene, who recorded Ruby's song "Surprise" for her solo album. The resulting album contained very soulful pop laced with rock. The first single "Sugah" became a huge hit in the UK and Europe. The second single, "Chocolate Pie", did not. But by this point Ruby was back in the US, tired of label pressure and strife. She asked to be dropped, and the album never made it over the pond. She then pursued an independent path, writing songs for others (one - The Duhks' version of "Heaven's My Home" - was even nominated for a Grammy in 2007) and also hooked up with longtime friend Sam Brooker for the folk duo Sam & Ruby in 2005. They have released one album on Rykodisc and two EPs since, and they also joined Nashville vocal group The Collective and appeared on Season 3 of The Sing Off, coming in eighth.  In 2011, Ruby toured with Jack White and did vocals for his album Blunderbuss, and she released her EP The Simple Sessions the following year. She also sang co-lead vocals on the single "Love Interruption" with White, which they performed on the Grammy's in 2013.  That year she also released the single "I Wonder" with Brittany Howard, the lead singer of Alabama Shakes, on Jack White's label. Most recently she appeared on Jack White's second album, Lazaretto, and has been touring with indie sensation Hozier and appeared with him on Saturday Night Live in 2014, so clearly she is still going strong and the best is likely yet to come...and it has!  Ruby released a new album at the end of August, 2015!  Check out Standing Still on iTunes!!

Download So Now The Whole World Knows

1 Crybaby
2 Sleeper And The Gong
3 Hide Away
4 Aaron
5 Mr. Cunningham
6 Empty
7 Because Of Love
8 Simplicity
9 Release
10 True Love

Video for Sugah

Download Smoke And Honey

1		Sugah
2		Chocolate Pie
3		Just Until
4		Know You Better
5		Different Is Good
6		Work It Out
7		For Life
8		I Will Pray
9		Morning
10		Whether You Fall
11		You Can't Use Me
12		Bless You
13		Ying To The Yang

Mishka And The Urban Groove - Legalize Love (1998)

Here is another little known Canadian artist for your listening pleasure. And another artist whom I know virtually nothing about. I can tell you that lead singer, Mishka Meunier, is French Canadian and apparently still lives in Quebec. And the Urban Groove consisted of fellow Canadian musicians Andy Stewart, Dan Godro, Eric Brass, and Harry B.. Their sound was very diverse, with some tracks having a strong reggae vibe - like their only single, a remake of James Brown's "Try Me" - while some veer into folk, and others are very funky soul. Altogether it is a great earthy sound, with powerful, soulful vocals from Mishka. The whole album is reminiscent of the work of fellow Canadians The Parachute Club, IMO.  The album was released locally and independently and didn't get much attention.  It also didn't help that soon after the album's release, singer Heather Nova's brother released his own folk and reggae-inflected music under the name Mishka, which could only add to the confusion.  Should you dig this album and wish to connect with Mishka, she has her own Facebook page, and perhaps she can fill you in on the full story of Mishka And The Urban Groove, and what she's been up to since.

Video for Try Me

Download Legalize Love

1	Legal Love
2	Love War
3	Your Touch
4	Save The Children
5	Try Me
6	Could It Be
7	Happiness Runaway
8	Feel The Change
9	What If?
10	Too Young

Sara Craig - E.P. (1991), Sweet Exhaust (1994) & Miss Rocket (1997) TRIPLE POST!!!

Out of the blue Sara Craig popped into my head this morning, and it occurred to me that she would be a perfect artist to feature on the Isle.  She is another of those artists that seem to have disappeared and are impossible to find any new info on on the internet, which is what makes her perfect for this blog.  Plus her music really should be heard, especially outside of her native Canada, as it is unusual and haunting.  If you like theatrical artists like Feist, Kate Bush, Sinead O'Connor, Jane Siberry or Tori Amos, but with a bit of a darker yet poppier edge (she sites influences like Eartha Kitt and Tina Turner), then Sara's for you.  Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, Sara boldly posted an ad in a Toronto magazine in 1987 looking for musicians to work with, even though she had no experience.  After working with cover bands and as a session musician, she moved to the thriving music scene of Toronto, where she independently recorded and released her solo E.P. (which was reissued four years later by her label Attic after her success), which became an indie hit in Canada and even spawned a minor hit single in "Bike".  She was soon signed to Attic Records and released her major label debut three years later.  The album was produced by John Punter, a long-time producer who had previously worked with huge acts like Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, John Cougar and Slade, and it was recorded in a local church. The first single, "Thank You (Very Much)", was a charting Canadian hit, and its success was obviously helped by the success at the time of groups like Nine Inch Nails, whose "Closer" was like a companion piece to the dark song.  (Even more amazing is that it contains a brief sample from Isle postee Ingrid Chavez's first single, "Elephant Box".)  It was followed by "Cry Baby", and Sara was nominated for a Juno for Best New Solo Artist.  She took a few more years to record her next album, choosing to pursue a poppier and less dark sound to reflect her changing mood.  This time she recorded in London, England, with British producer Chris Tsangarides, who had his greatest successes with Concrete Blonde and The Tragically Hip.  The result was a much lighter affair, which was reflected in the singles "Miss Rocket" and "Mr. Right".  The album wasn't as successful, however, perhaps due to the change in musical direction, and it was the last anyone would hear from Sara, apparently.  A pity.  Unless anyone out there can shed some light on what became of this talented lady?  Till then, enjoy the work of a very unique artiste.

Download E.P.

1		Aspiring To
2		Bike
3		Tik Tok
4		Is It The Mind
5		Broomstik

Download Sweet Exhaust

1		Cry Baby
2		Thank You (Very Much)
3		I Thrive
4		Liar
5		Wakerlife Waltz
6		Sparks Fly
7		Sitting On A Fence
8		Souless Cage
9		Close To You
10		Bombarde Me
11		Wow
12		Sweet Exhaust
13		Elastic

Video for Mr. Right

Download Miss Rocket

1		Mister Right
2		My Sky Too
3		Breakwall
4		Hey Beauties
5		Pushing You Away
6		Who Are You
7		Keep On Driving
8		Miss Rocket
9		You Make Me Happy
10		You're Fine

Eleanor Academia - Jungle Wave (1987) & Global Conversations (1992) DOUBLE POST!!

Thanks to the awesome "Joe", I now present to you an album I've wanted to share for some time and have had many requests for but, as is often the case here, I only have on cassette. Joe luckily had the CD version from Japan (entitled Adventure and released under her full name) and sent me the files and voila! Thanks SO MUCH Joe! You are a god! Eleanor Academia was born in Hawaii and raised in California. She perfected many instruments and was especially adept at percussion. Luckily her talents were recognized by Columbia Records and the label signed her. As a credit to her talents, the label allowed her to produce her first album, a rarity for new artists back in the day. The album explored many different sounds, and was considered a 'worldbeat' album, containing international folk elements mixed with some synth flavour. While the album itself was released to little fanfare, the first single, "Adventure", was remixed by scorching remixer Shep Pettibone. The remix took the electro bassline from Rockers Revenge's "Walkin' On Sunshine", which was produced by the brilliant Arthur Baker, and animal noises and chants were added for exotic effect. I first heard of Eleanor when the remix was played in a local record store and I became entranced, snatching the 12" single up immediately. It is one of the best dance songs of all time, IMO. The remix deservedly became a #1 dance hit. (I've included an edited version of the dance mix, graciously also sent by Joe, in the download so that you can experience it's pleasures). I bought the album later, and must confess I was greatly disappointed. I was expecting more dance awesomeness, but the album was far from a dance album. But as the years went on I was drawn back to the album several times as I discovered its understated pleasures. Alas, other people must have initially approached the album with the same attitude I did, and it went nowhere commercially. At that point Eleanor disappeared from my radar. But research revealed that Eleanor managed to release a follow-up on Epic under her full name entitled Global Conversations in 1992, though its distribution seemed to be limited to Europe. And she carried on after that on her own label, Black Swan, embracing a much rockier vibe. She has released two albums on that label thus far, Oracle Of The Black Swan in 2002 and When You Live in 2009, and she continues to record and tour. She is also a "teacher, scholar and Thought Leader" (according to her website) and also hosts her own radio show. So once again, talent prevails!

Download Jungle Wave

1		Bahala Na
2		Perfection
3		Philippines, Philippines
4		I'm Human
5		Better Safe Than Sorry
6		One Dot World
7		Adventure
8		Hiwaga Sa Loob Ng Perlas (Magic In The Great Pearl)

 9 Adventure (Edited Club Version)

Download Global Conversations

1 Global Conversations
2 Speak To Me
3 The Dialogue - Caught Between ii Worlds
4 Caught Between ii Worlds
5 Kiss The Moon
6 Passion With A Sword
7 Are You Well
8 My Name Is
9 (Interlude) Kulintang Eruption
10 Who Is God
11 -1-0-1-0-1-0-
12 (Interlude) Wo-Oo-Ee-Yo-Oo

Ceremony - Hang Out Your Poetry (1993)

Thanks to wonderful Dixiepokerace we have another of my cassettes turned MP3 and another perfect entry for the Isle! Thanks so very much again!! Ceremony was a six piece group fronted by 21 year old Chastity Bono, daughter of Sonny & Cher, and her roommate from New York University Heidi Shink, who was then known as Chance. The band gained notoriety not so much because of Chastity's famous parents and curiosity about the talent of their offspring, but because it was the vessel through which she eventually became permanently outed. The group was apparently supposed to be a project involving practicing gay-but-not-out Chastity and her then girlfriend Rachel, partly as an unsuccessful attempt to revive their flagging relationship (though Rachel doesn't appear as part of the line-up in this group, unless that's another moniker for Heidi, who is also a lesbian - perhaps I'll have to read Chas' autobiography to find out!). Geffen signed them in 1990, likely because of the success of Wilson Phillips, a somewhat similar sounding group that also featured the spawn of famed sixties singers. Thanks to the need for publicity to promote the group, Chastity had to venture into the public eye, which she had managed to avoid for the most part in her teen years. As a result, gossip mongers delved deep into her personal life, with Star magazine outing her soon after they were signed, though she then denied it. The album was recorded amidst and came out after all the hubbub, which no doubt contributed to the its failure, as at that time the world was not ready for gay celebs (which seems so archaic in this day and age). The first single "Could've Been Love", while getting some radio and video play, failed to become a hit, and the follow-up "Ready For Love" tanked. The album was produced by Cher's good friend and 'Hudson Brother' Mark Hudson. He helped give them a 1960's folk-rock sound, very Beatles' influenced, but with an updated twist. The best comparison would be the Bangles, with the jangly guitars and harmonies (though here those harmonies are a little more off-key). Chastity's voice is reminiscent of Cher's, if a few octaves higher. Overall the album is a pleasant listen, but given it's failure and Chastity's on-going turmoil, it's no surprise Geffen dropped them and they never recorded together again. Of course, Chastity's life has been well-documented since. She became a huge gay rights activist and worked with GLAAD, and had well-known differences with both of her parents regarding her sexuality. She also starred as a team captain in Celebrity Fit Club 3. But perhaps her biggest claim to fame in recent years is that she's undergoing a gender transition and now considers herself a man, going by the name of Chaz.

Video for Could've Been Love

Download Hang Out Your Poetryhttp://www59.zippyshare.com/v/71KppPNV/file.html

1		Goodbye Sunshine
2		Steal Your Heart
3		Day By Day
4		Ready For Love
5		Ready For Love Refrain
6		Hang Out Your Poetry
7		Could've Been Love
8		Turn It Over
9		Trust
10		2 Of 1
11		First Day Of My Life
12		Breathless
13		Living In A Paradise
14		Livin' It Up

Leomoon - Leomoon (1999)

Here is another of those mysterious bands that appeared in the late 1990s, when there seemed to be an explosion of electronic acts influenced by the likes of Portishead and Everything But The Girl. Leomoon consisted of three members: singer Erin Moran (no, not Joannie from Happy Days), musician and producer Stephen Harris, and DJ Sae 1. Their music is indeed very much like earlier Everything But The Girl, but with a lot more trip hop and lots of samples and scratches thanks to the enigmatic DJ Sae 1. The album was released on the indie American label Topaz, and they managed only one single, "Frequency". It went unnoticed and the three obviously decided not to pursue any further music together. But Stephen Harris was already an established producer and engineer before the group formed, and he has continued as such, working with acts like U2 and Dave Matthews. Erin Moran took on the moniker A Girl Called Eddy and released a highly acclaimed self-titled album in 2004 that hearkened back to the 60's soul-pop of Dusty Springfield. She is said to be releasing another album under that moniker this year. As for DJ Sae 1, it is likely he is still involved in music, probably using his real name, whatever that is. But this album, though it encompasses a sound that was then very fresh but is now somewhat dated, still remains a fond tribute to a very particular style and time in music, and it deserves more attention than it received the first time around.

Download Leomoon

1		Intro
2		Frequency Part 1
3		Stay
4		Jeremy's Least Unweak
5		Jesus Boots
6		Freebyrd
7		The Orchid
8		It's You
9		Leaving California
10		Always Tomorrow
11		Frequency Part 2
99		Final Outro

Pocket Size - 100% Human (1999)

Here is an album I've had for years but never really listened to until recently. Pocket Size is the British duo of musician/producer Darren Pearson and singer Liz Overs. They grew up and performed together in the town of Eastbourne. Darren eventually headed to London to try to further his music career while Liz stayed back and joined several local bands. Eventually the two got together again and decided to go for it as a duo. Their demos were impressive enough to get attention from a major label, Atlantic. Their first single, "Walking", got a major push thanks to remixes (like so many other Isle acts) by heavy hitters like Soul Solution. The song leapt to number one on the Billboard dance charts. The album is nothing like those remixes, though, which likely left the album's listeners confused. The album is pure acoustic pop music, similar to early Everything But The Girl, but with more upbeat numbers and electronic flourishes. It's breezy, sunny day pop. Two other much less successful singles, "Human Touch" and "Squashy Lemon Squeezy," were released, and the duo seemingly vanished. They apparently renamed themselves Baby Jupiter, but no recorded works were released. It is rumoured that they still preside on the coast of England and are recording new material.

UPDATE: Thanks to a comment from the band themselves, we now know that they are preparing a new album!  Check out their Facebook page for more!

Video for Walking

Video for Squashy Lemon Squeezy

Download 100% Human

1		Human Touch
2		Shaking The Tree
3		Walking
4		Make A Sound
5		Death Of Me
6		Sunbeam
7		Stay Till The End
8		Squashy Lemon Squeezy
9		Miles & Miles
10		Tell Me Who
11		Know Nothing
12		Jessye' Lisabeth

Lauren Christy - Lauren Christy (1993) & Breed (1997) DOUBLE POST!!

I'm feeling generous once again, as I've been a little lax in my posts as of late. So here I give you a double post of the solo works of Lauren Christy. Lauren was born in the UK and studied ballet as a child, but as a teen decided to pursue music. She formed a band and wrote many songs, signing with Mercury Records based on her songwriting skills. Her first self-titled album was geared toward the adult contemporary market. It consists of mostly ballads, with light synth elements, sort of like Sarah Brightman's Dive album or something more accessible by Tori Amos. (It was produced by Tony Peluso, who also worked with previous postees Apollonia, Teen Dream and Rebel Pebbles, if that helps!) I think it's a beautiful album. I even gave the song "You Read Me Wrong" to a former 'lover' as an apology (so dramatic, LOL). The song "You Read Me Wrong" was a slight hit on the Billboard AC chart, but the album faded quickly. It seemed Lauren's chance at popdom was over, as nothing more was heard from her (aside from the theme song to the Bruce Willis movie "The Color Of Night" in 1993, which almost made the Billboard Hot 100). But four years later Lauren re-emerged with a new look and sound. Instead of soft introspective ballads, her sound was now mostly crunchy rock. Equal parts Garbage, Natalie Imbruglia and Tori, it was an extreme change from her first album. But it was even less successful, alas. The title track was featured on the Batman & Robin soundtrack, the song "Magazine" hit number 40 on the obscure Billboard Adult chart, and the critics loved the album, but the public mostly ignored it. Luckily for Lauren, a few years later she hooked up with Graham Edwards and Scott Spock and formed the production team (and brief recording act, with Katy Perry) The Matrix. Their work with Avril Lavigne catapulted them into the pop conscience, and Lauren finally had her taste of stardom, though behind the scenes. She, with the Matrix, has applied her considerable songwriting and production talent to numerous successful pop acts since.

Video for You Read Me Wrong

Video for Steep

Download Lauren Christy

1		Rain
2		You Read Me Wrong
3		Steep
4		The Rumour
5		River Of Time
6		Vanessa's Father
7		My Jeans I Want Them Back
8		Adult Afraid Of The Light
9		Meet Me In America
10		Woman's Song
11		Take Me To The Church

Video for Breed

Download Breed

1		Breed
2		I Want What I Want
3		Magazine
4		You Make Me Laugh
5		25 Back Then
6		Boomerang Bang
7		Burn
8		Letterbomb
9		Could've Been
10		The Night I Saved Peter Ustinov
11		Breed

Blaise Pascal - Hairspray (2000)

You could say that Blaise Pascal came and went in a 'blaise' of glory. Hailing from Toronto, her songwriting got some notice. In 1996 she won the Annual National Songwriting Competition and came in second in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, for which she won $30,000 from FACTOR (Foundation to Support Canadian Talent on Records) to make her debut album (the grants for the arts are one of the things that makes Canada great, IMO). She chose not to shop the album around and instead released the album on an independent label. This was likely her downfall. Though she had some publicity for the album, she would have had much more with a major label. When you have a low profile in Canada, especially as a Canadian musician, you know you're in trouble. The album came and went with some critical accolades and not much else. It is a pleasant enough pop rock album, reminiscent of singers like Lisa Loeb or Nina Gordon or even previous postee Stella Soleil. I have no idea what she's up to lately, mainly because her name is the same as the famous French mathemetician, physicist and religious philosopher. A name change is highly recommended...

Download Hairspray

1		Only Way
2		10 Feet High
3		Rush
4		Angel Baby
5		God Bless America
6		22 Years
7		Order Me
8		Hairspray
9		Walk In Chinatown
10		Worthy

Rebekah - Remember To Breathe (1998)

Rebekah Jordan (aka Rebekah Johnson) was quite heavily hyped by Elektra Records upon the release of her debut album. She garnered quite a bit of press and some great reviews. Like so many other artists here on the Isle, she was considered the next big thing. And then her album flopped. This was through no fault of her own or her producer, one-hit-wonder Matthew Wilder (whose hit "Break My Stride" was covered by Max-A-Million on their album posted here). Wilder brought much of the spunk and funk he also brought to No Doubt's break-out album Tragic Kingdom, and Rebekah brought some great songwriting and a powerful voice. But, as with former postees Kina and Cree Summer, it seemed the public wasn't ready for a woman of colour with a rock edge. Her first single "Sin So Well" did hit the Billboard pop charts, but only made it to number 80. She went on to star in a few films, and her music seemed to take a backseat. Then, in 2004, Kelly Clarkson recorded her song "Beautiful Disaster" and included it on her first album, and then she included a live version on her second. This encouraged Rebekah to record and release an EP on her own the following year titled The Trouble With Fiction, using her full name, and the another in 2010, Souvenir. She also formed the group Dreaming Ferns. In 2012 she released a new video for a song called "Eve", which is from the still unreleased album Asphalt Heart. Interestingly, in her official bios, even on her official website, Remember To Breathe is never mentioned. Perhaps she preferred to make a fresh start as an indie artist, though it is an album she should be proud of.

Download Remember To Breathe

1		Hey Genius
2		Sin So Well
3		Remember To Breathe
4		Love Song
5		I Wish I Could Believe Me
6		Pining
7		Keep It A Secret
8		Be Your Own
9		Love Trap
10		Cardboard Boxes
11		To Be Special
12		Little Black Girl

Heather Mullen - Heather Mullen (1991)

So, once again I present an artist who I cannot find a thing about on the internet. All I know is that she released one self-titled album on EastWest Records, which was produced by two men, one who earlier produced acts like The Flirts and Divine, and one who later was a guitarist on songs by the likes of J. Lo and Celine Dion. Heather's album is nothing like those artists, however. The other day I was on a long car ride and popped this CD in, and once again I was stunned by it's simple beauty. Heather has a very clear, strong voice, reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, and her lyrics are very uplifting. It's a very pleasant pop-folk album. Basically, if you like the work of Des'ree, you should love this, as it sounds to me like it could be a lost Des'ree album (but with better lyrics!). I would love to know what happened to Heather, and why she never released another album. I realize that this album was not successful and the label likely dropped her, but surely she recorded an indie album or two? Anyone? Hello?

UPDATE:  Someone named Cherry Pepper posted the following articles about Heather from back in the day on Youtube, which fill in a lot of her story:

"Out of the angst of a troubled childhood and the many painful years that followed, song stress Heather Mullen has crafted a debut album that's both poetically beautiful and a testament to her survival. Simply titled Heather Mullen, this lush album delivers soul-searching lyrics amidst a gentle back drop of acoustic instruments. At 31 years old, Mullen realizes that neither she nor her music falls into an easily definable category. But her blend of pop-, jazz- and folk-influenced music draws from a well of deeply personal themes. One of the most compelling cuts, "She's a Soldier," masterfully recalls how she healed her relationship with her white mother.

Much of the anguish of Mullen's childhood was caused by the fact that she is biracial. Born in impoverished conditions on the Lower East Side of New York and raised in Philadelphia, Mullen never knew her Black father, who left when she was a year old. Her African-American heritage was something she had to discover on her own. "When no one teaches you your roots, it takes a lot more work to figure out your identity, your place in the world," she says.

Mullen says she was "completely lost from within" when she left her mother's house at 17. She discovered her passion for singing while waiting tables at local lounges. Forming a duo with a girlfriend who played guitar, Mullen began 11 years of traveling, waitressing and singing. Last year Mullen arranged a showcase for herself at a Manhattan club, paid for out of her own pocket. A record-company president saw Mullen's performance and promptly signed her to the label. Mullen doesn't focus on potential commercial success: "I just want to continue my journey--to accept myself for exactly who I am."

Essence Jul 92"

"She's one of those rare singers whose voice bends with the rest of the instruments, taking on a sound of its own and making us wonder: Where have you been hiding all those years, Heather Mullen?

Although her self-titled release is Mullen's first achievement that features her as a solo and background vocalist/composer, the 31-year-old musician from back East--she grew up in New York and Philadelphia--has paid her dues.

After waitressing, trying to do jingles, singing for obscure, small-scale coffeehouse lineups and a top-40s band, Mullen was finally discovered about a year ago when she played a showcase gig in front of family, friends and music industry executives.

Consequently, Mullen recorded her debut release last summer in New York where she worked with a handful of musicians thoughtful enough to let Mullen be the foremost musician.

Musician?  Well, she doesn't exactly play any instruments--her voice becomes one with the sound of her accompanists, of whom she said: "It's so rare that musicians pay much attention to the lyrics. And these guys would make a point of understanding the words and what I was saying, because it was going to affect what they played."

Her ability as a songwriter puts Mullen on one level with other great female artists who make similar music, such as Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Sally Oldfield, the not-so-well-known sister of British guitar genius Mike Oldfield, whose voice sounds as pure as water from a deserted island's cascade.

What's there to sing about with a voice as colorful and interesting as Mullen's? Hmmm, how about liking yourself, "Be Who You Are", joys of friendship, "Free Ride Home" and "You'll Never Be Alone", and getting rid of fears, "How Do You Know" and "When Dreams Come True?"

Dagi Binggeli, Deseret News, Apr 9 92, 6C"

Download Heather Mullen

1		Night By Night
2		Be Who You Are
3		Movin' On
4		Forgiveness
5		How Do You Know (When Dreams Come True)
6		Drinking The Rainwater
7		You'll Never Be Alone
8		Runnin' To Your Love
9		Tidal Wave
10		Free Ride Home
11		Slipping Thru The Cracks
12		She's A Soldier
13		Adventure
14		I Have Always Known You

Sulk - Only You (2000)

Okay, kids, here's an interesting one for you. Sulk was Canadian duo Sherrie Lea Laird and Blair O'Halloran. After unsatisfying stints with other bands, the two hooked up to pursue their shared love of pop music. They apparently released a self-titled album (I say apparently as I've never seen it) that garnered some critical praise. They soon hooked up with Hi-Bias records and Nick Fiorucci, the same label and producer responsible for previous postee Oval Emotion. While Hi-Bias was primarily a dance label, Sulk were more pop rock, but with a very electronic undertone. The album was basically a repackaging of their debut, and they had some success with the dance mixes of "Only You". Soon after, their song "Anyway" was remixed and released, but it was attributed to Sherrie Lea as a solo act. In 2005 she released her solo album, which is full on dance music (and may be featured here in the future). Sherrie had international dance chart success with her remake of Sade's "No Ordinary Love" and continues as a solo act, though Sulk does have a Myspace page which seems to indicate that they may reform as a duo. But the truly interesting part of this story is that Sherrie has had a book written about her, claiming that she is the reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe! It's called Marilyn Monroe Returns: The Healing of a Soul, and I must get my hands on it! She had disturbing memories of being Marilyn and sought a psychiatrist who is sure she is in fact Marilyn reborn! There is even a documentary on it! Now she is more famous for this than any of her music. Spooky, non?

Here is the BBC documentary (and there are many more features about this on Youtube)

Download Only You

1		Only You
2		You're A Man
3		All You Gotta Do
4		First Time
5		Appreciation
6		Don't Tell Me
7		Anyway
8		Lately
9		Beautiful In Every Way
10		If I Love You (All Night Long)
11		Sextasy

Kristen Vigard - Kristen Vigard (1990)

Okay, so I couldn't stay away for long. LOL I was looking through some boxes and this album was at the top, and was also one of the most requested on my poll. So here is Kristen Vigard's only major label album (so far). Thanks to her recently created website, I can now tell you a bit about her (I looked for info on her about a year ago but there was none). As a child, she traveled the world, eventually ending up back in the US and scoring a Ford modeling contract and several minor roles in TV and on the stage. As a teen she appeared as a regular character in soap operas Guiding Light and One Life To Live. She continued acting after those stints but discovered a passion for music when traveling in Europe. Upon returning to the US, she hooked up with groups that included members of future breakout groups like Fishbone and Red Hot Chili Peppers. She even toured with the Peppers as a back-up singer. This led to her being signed to a label. The album was produced by Carmen Rizzo, who would later go on to produce artists as varied as Tina Turner, Taylor Dayne, Supreme Beings Of Leisure and Delerium. The album has a unique sound, somewhere between pop, funk, folk and blues, obviously influenced by the artists she worked with previously. The album was not a success, and Kristen's only other notable recording was as the singing voice for Ileana Douglas in the film Grace Of My Heart (which is a good film, by the way). She has recently released an EP, however, and you can go to her self-titled website should you want more.

Download Kristen Vigard

1		Gnosseinnes
2		Waiting For You
3		The Announcement
4		Stone City
5		12 Bar Blues
6		Paint My Head
7		Out In The Woods
8		Slave To My Emotions
9		Use Me
10		Me So Far
11		My Old Ways
12		Steel Morning

Cree Summer - Street Faerie (1999)

Keeping with the Lenny Kravitz-as-producer theme, I present Cree Summer's one and only major label album, thus far. Lenny went to work on this one, with an even trippier and funkier vibe than on Vanessa Paradis' album. Cree of course was one of the stars of Cosby Show spin-off A Different World. Like fellow Different World-ers Debbie Allen (whose album is featured a few posts back) and Jasmine Guy (whose one album can be found on the Screw Music blog in my links), Cree embarked on a singing career, with co-star and friend Lisa Bonet's ex-husband at the helm. Unlike Debbie and Jasmine, Cree chose a rockier and less mainstream vibe for her album, which was fitting of her Different World character. She was the multicultural hippy chick, and she worked it to brilliant effect on this album. It is fantastic, and lead-off single "Revelation Sunshine" is one of my fave songs ever. This album is a pleasant surprise. Enjoy, and pray she gets back into the recording studio.

**UPDATE - Thanks to the fabulous Bomitoni, I discovered that Cree was once in a rock group called Subject To Change in the early 1990s, who released one album in 1993. For more info, look HERE. She rerecorded the song "Soul Sister" from it for her solo album. Thanks to GiDelGi, you can listen to their album, Womb Amnesia, in it's entirety on Soundcloud.

Download Street Faerie

1		Revelation Sunshine
2		Miss Moon
3		Still Heart
4		Deliciously Down
5		Mean Sleep
6		Life Goes On
7		Fall
8		Angry Boy
9		Sweet Pain
10		Smooth My Heart
11		Naheo
12		Soul Sister
13		Curious White Boy