Channel surfing the other night I came across another young woman singer who sounded and looked intriguing. (This may be becoming a problem I might have to take up with a psychologist at some point, but not today.) The song on TV had a drumbeat heavy on the tom-toms and her lyrics matched that heavy rhythm. Afterward, she was on another show and interviewed for a short time, interesting but she gave away what she meant by that particular song and took something away from it.
She sounded good enough to spend $10 on iTunes for her album, her second. I held onto it until the next day driving to work. What I heard was somewhat disappointing, many songs about teen angst, lost love, found love in an immature sort of way, the kind of music I suspect some alienated teen girls would like, but something most of us have heard before, though maybe not in her unique format. It reminded me of a letter I wrote years ago to a friend saying I loved the Beatles but if Paul McCartney sang one more insipid love song, it would be time to scream “enough!” Do you remember "Just another silly love song?"
Perhaps this highlights one of the reasons Lady Gaga resonates. She has something to say, and she does it uniquely with her own style.
In describing this new singer (new to me, this is her second album) to a friend I said I liked her voice and I liked her sound, though there is too much echo in it. She has a beautiful and strong voice, not one of these modern whisperers. Her name is Lykke Li, (pronounced Licky Lee) and given her talent the hope is she will mature and her subject matter will grow with her. In the meantime the song I heard on TV I still like, but there is this: It has very suggestive lyrics presented with almost an African beat, but the sensuality is lost when she explained her mention of prostitution relates to giving up ideals to get along in the music business. I have heard that before, too. In fact, I might even have said it, myself, about the publishing business. Quel dommage.
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