Orpheus10..Joan Baez's guitar work on the song "Diamond's and Rust" which is about her affair with Bob Dylan is one of her greatest acoustical works...
Chicks With Guitars
Their poppin out of the woodwork! I love them, many others here do to. It seems there are often side discussions on this topic in the "best of" threads but I don't recall a dedicated spot for these lovely ladies. Hope to pick up a few new artists to listen to and maybe offer up a few to y'all.
List your chick with guitar favorites here:
A few to kick it off....
Laura Marling
Martha Tilston
Emily Jane White
Sharon Van Etten
Marissa Nadler
Caroline Herring
Rachel Harrington
Sara Jaffe
Tyler, the Creator...ok, I just slipped that one in to see if anyone would notice...
I could go on and on but these are some good ones I thought would be a decent start.
List your chick with guitar favorites here:
A few to kick it off....
Laura Marling
Martha Tilston
Emily Jane White
Sharon Van Etten
Marissa Nadler
Caroline Herring
Rachel Harrington
Sara Jaffe
Tyler, the Creator...ok, I just slipped that one in to see if anyone would notice...
I could go on and on but these are some good ones I thought would be a decent start.
86 responses Add your response
Kami Thompson And lets not forget her brother, Teddy Thompson, who is also an excellent musician. Of course he's not a chick, but he does play the guitar pretty damn well like his dad. Not a bad voice either. I like his album, Separate Ways, and his contributions to, I'm Your Man (Leonard Cohen tribute) are excellent as well. He came out with a new album recently called, Bella. Haven't heard it. Great genes indeed! |
Kami Thompson This is the daughter of Richard and Linda Thompson so there are some damn fine musical genes at play here. She is also sort of a late bloomer, at least as far as recording goes. Her first release just came out entitled Love Lies, there are a host of serious names associated with the record. I think it's very very good, similar in style to dad, kinda folk rock stuff but less Celtic and more toward the US influence. Certainly worth mentioning here. |
I say check out Courtney “Adriana Smith” Cox and Nita “Mega Murray” Straus of the Iron Maidens. Courtney http://www.theironmaidens.com/band/images/courtneyband.jpg Nita http://www.theironmaidens.com/band/images/nitastand.jpg Steel Panther and the Iron Maidens http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOxgpRihNSU Warning video has profanity as well some of the usual schtick from Steel Panther. Happy Listening. |
Marco I'm listening to the new Feist now and it's quite good. I was not a huge fan of The Reminder or Let It Die but this one I like. Not that the other 2 I have are bad, just maybe a little to sweet for my taste. Metals, the new record, sounds more grounded, mature and interesting. Definitely the best of her work that I have heard. Not sure fans of the other albums will dig this one so it's also a little risky for her. Let me know what you think. |
Listened to Lisa Hannigan's new album, Passengers, this morning. Some of you may know her more as that alluring sexy voice on Damien Rice's material but she also had a critically acclaimed solo record, See Saw. This album is similar to the first in many ways. Most leans to the pop side which troubles me. I much prefer the intimate folk side shown on tracks like Little Bird, a beautiful, simple ballad. Overall it's a good effort and worth having for her gorgeous voice alone. The girl is also smoking hot...it had to be said! |
I was just reminded of the whole southern CA wrist-slitting set on another thread. These bands are all lead by the distinctive female vocalist. I don't know that that they all are accompanied by guitars, but the shoe fits, as it were. These all fit into a darker, more melancholic genre so if you aren't into that, don't go here. Trespassers does move a bit upbeat, but not by much. Mazzy Star - Hope Sandoval branched out to do solo work Golden Palominos - Lori Carson branched out also doing solo Trespassers William (no longer in CA - moved to Seattle for the great weather no doubt) - check out Anchor and Different Stars. I'm not fond of their later efforts myself. Anchor is a gem. Not that well recorded, unfortunately, but a beautiful album nonetheless. |
Jazzdoc - great call on the Smoke Fairies. They sound much like the name of the band. Nice production from Jack White too. John - Been enjoying that Stacy Earle record for a while, nice add to the list. She has a real charm about her and a timeless twang. Nice recording too. My GwG to add today is Alela Diane, check out To Be Still (2009). She can get a little monotone but I'm a sucker for all the pedal steel and cello so who cares! |
Yes Richard, I agree it is unlikely that Carson's CD covers adversely impact her sales. Another GwG: Stacy Earle (yes, that Earle), esp. "Simple Gearle." (At risk of thread derailment, I thought of this one after picking up her brother's "Townes"; I'd passed before, but definitely worth 8 bucks used.) John |
Yes Richard, Neko deserves mention for her "Wayfaring." More in the GwG range: Cailin Cary, formerly of Whiskeytown: their "Faithless Street" is iconic alt country -- or as they say in Cackalcky, y'allternative. Caitlin's "While You Weren't Looking," is a good one, as is "Sweetwater," by her band Tres Chicas. Kendal Carson also very nice. Both "Alright Dynamite" and "Rearview Mirror Tears" worth having. John |
Marty...I was very fortunate to have been introduced to David Eugene Edwards' music by Marco (Jax2) a while back and have really come to love everything he has done. So passionate, intense and skilled both in his playing/composition and writing. I agree with your statement that they were under appreciated and I also agree that Jean Yves Tola is an amazing drummer with unique style. I love both the records you ordered but my favorite Wovenhand would be the selftitled from 2002, I know Marco prefers Blush Music. I would also recommend the last 16HP album, Folklore which is a bit more subdued than the harder edged earlier stuff. Just great stuff. |
Richard, Thanks for the heads up on Woven Hand and the recent 16 HP titles. (I just ordered "Secret South" and "Consider The Birds".) I really liked 16 HP back in the day, but lost track after the first 3 albums. I didn't know that they'd released newer material and spun-off another band. I've always felt that 16 HP was sadly overlooked and that their drummer, Jean Yves Tola, was among the most distinctive that I've ever heard. Marty |
Jdoris....Kind thanks for the terminology correction. I knew there was a simple explanation in there somewhere! I need to explore Eva Cassidy's stuff, thanks for that. There is something about Wayfaring Stranger that really brings the soul out of some artists. One of my all time loved songs, that being one of the reasons. This would make another interesting thread but just for kicks, here are a few of my preferred versions: Blanche from If We Can't Trust the Doctors Giant Sand from Mojo Mag's Cash Covered Johnny Cash Tribute and my all time favorite: David Eugene Edwards from Jim White's music from Searching For The Wrong-Eyed Jesus or 16 Horsepower from Secret South...take your pick...(thanks Marco). |
I started this thread to explore female singer/songwriters, not chicks with blazing guitar skills as some took it. Richard, I think the confusion is that the technical term for the genre you are after is "Girl with Guitar." "Chick with Guitar" is not a genre. ;) Amelia Curran's "War Brides" is a winner, and a nice recording. (But I'm enjoying Sharon Isben, too.) Not GwG strictly speaking, but in the neighborhood and excellent are: Robinella, Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, and Crooked Still. Eva Cassidy's GwG collection, "Simply Eva," is -- as might be expected -- supernatural. Best version ever of Wayfaring Stranger. |
I think I mentioned Nancy Elizabeth a ways up in this thread but I have been listening to her first album, Battle and Victory and really wanted to suggest it specifically. She is a really interesting artist who mixes in all sorts of instruments, vintage and current, from all over the world (Not unlike David Eugene Edwards of Woven Hand/16HP fame and it has that Woven Hand sort of vibe minus the Christian subtext). She also sings in a sort of Joanna Newsome nontraditional tone. All in all it makes for a very cool record that I really enjoy. She is an artist I plan to pay attention to. Just to refresh, I started this thread to explore female singer/songwriters, not chicks with blazing guitar skills as some took it. I don't care at all if that is what you care to post/suggest however just did not want you to expect it from mine:)..... |
If anyone's taste runs towards jangle pop, they might want to check out Marti Jones. She sings like an angel and she's married to the noted singer/songwriter/producer Don Dixon. Her songs are generally (tho not always) less introspective than some listed above, but they're tons of fun in their own right. She also has great (and ecclectic) taste in cover material; ranging from lots of John Hiatt, to David Bowie's "Soul Love", to Joe Tex's "You Got What It Takes (To Take What I Got"). My wife and I used the Dixon/Jones arrangement of this song for our first dance. Her album, "Used Guitars", is a gem and her "Live At Spirit Square" is a great overview of the Marti Jones catalog (nicely recorded by Dixon, too). Another (related) fun choice is Marti's friend Amy Rigby (they sometimes perform together as Cynical Girls, which is a Marshall Crenshaw reference, I think). Amy's very funny lyrics are worth the price of admission alone. Marty |
Man did this thread get off track! Again, I meant female singer songwriters, not pyrotechnic lady guitar rippers! Oh well, heard/watched some very interesting clips so thanks to all....except Shadorne who's metal women gave me nightmares for 2 straight days....! Another interesting chick with guitar (singer songwriter!)... Anna Kashfi |
