When I think of unique voices in not only my own personal record collection but within the last century of popular music a few names come to mind: Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Patti Smith, Chrissie Hynde. These singers had and have the gift of being able to express so much emotion by manipulating, re-shaping, re-inventing, commanding just one single note. Within each generation these women have changed and elaborated upon the art of singing. And I'm fixin' on adding another name to this elite list...Macy Gray.

In late 1999 this incredible vocalist released her debut CD, On How Life Is (Epic Records). It has the charm of late Sixties rhythm and blues arrangements and the funky guitar riffs that the early Seventies offered. Some tracks sorta sound like background music to really bad porn flicks, circa 1973...and that's a good thing.

Macy Gray's lyrics are sensitive and revealing on tracks like "Still", and her lyrics are heart wrenching and honest on tracks like "I Try". And her voice can only be described with superlatives: raspy, squeaky, sweet, soft, powerful, loud, beautiful.


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