Eliza Carthy

Looking at Eliza Carthy's shoulder-length turquoise locks and nose ring, I ask myself a naive question: "Does she take herself seriously?" Carthy looks like a groupie for some quasi-metal band with her tousled hair, steel-toed military boots and skirt. But when she opens her mouth and starts to make music, all my doubts are cast aside.\nCarthy stands out in the music world as a folk singer, and we don't see too many of those anymore. The acclaimed British crooner makes her U.S. debut with Angels & Cigarettes, an album with 10 soothingly beautiful tracks. Sounding at times like Tori Amos, Ani DiFranco and even the Cranberries, Carthy's subtle British accent adds flavor, distinguishing her from these other artists. \nThe first track, "Whispers of Summer," is an ode to second thoughts, with Carthy coming off strong on vocals and the fiddle (Yeah, she plays the fiddle too.). Carthy sings and plays her heart out on this upbeat piece with a hypnotic chorus.\n"Train Song" has Carthy casting a vocal spell with her meaningful lyrics and mesmerizing backing vocals, which blend in with the fiddle's tune. "Beautiful Girl" starts out with Carthy's sexy yet dark voice in a chorus mixed with a synthesized sound before moving right into the main vocals. There is a real sense of Carthy in each one of her songs. She tells a story with each piece she performs. "Whole" pulses its way into the vocals with a strong yet soft drumbeat. Carthy's whispered vocals come through with intensity and passion, while "Poor Little Me" sounds reminiscent to Dido, except more intense and with more volume. \nWith "The Company Of Men" I get a real sense of Carthy being a folk singer, with guitar, piano and an absence of synthesizers. Carthy's voice carries especially well in this piece without background vocals hiding her sound.\n"Perfect," "Wildwood" and "Breathe" are also outstanding examples of Carthy's talent. "Fuse," the last track, really finished the album with force, combining her soothing, bluesy voice with the fiddle and piano. I hope Carthy's Angels & Cigarettes will bring folk music back into the spotlight.