Loopy broads bent on terminal destruction and musical mayhem have a long and happy history in pop music. Somehow, the idea of being an "artiste" attracts these freaky styley ladies like flies to a bug burner. Just tell them they can writhe on a piano bench, dress up in fairy garb, or paint their faces like asylum lunatics and they are yours for the taking. And of course, as our male-dominated society loves to objectify women at all costs, what better than to market said females as beautiful escapees from the looney bin. Without even rolling your eyes you can think of five such female fanatics: Bjork, Siouxsie Sioux, Boy George, newcomer Jessica Hoop, old schooler Tori Amos, and today's honoree, Rebekah Higgs.

A native of that mysterious land to the north and far away (Nova Scotia), Higgs gains fast entry into our crazee's club for her press shot, showing the slight woman adorned in a white gown, walking in a midnight stream, holding balloons and clutching rabbits to her breast(s). Hmmm, okay, she's nuts! We get it. The album cover tones it down a bit with simple angel wings and a skeleton. Luckily, Higgs's music is greater that her get-up.

Already nominated for three Music Nova Scotia Awards (hey, we didn't know either): Best New Artist, Best Female Artist, and Best Alternative Album, Higgs's self-titled debut is a sonic, glowing wonder. Like crossing Radiohead's Amnesiac with Melanie's "Brand New Key" (look it up, kids), Higgs matches studio experimentation with solid pop songcraft, 21^st century production with ancient ideals like melody, harmony and rhythm.

Singing--no squawking--in a variety of vocal disguises, Higgs enchants with her delivery while samples and disembodied other-beings float around her like butterflies circling your grandmother. Songs stop and start, endings become beginnings, Higgs connects all these dots like a happy clown cum musical sage. "Parables" is a circus rocker, Higgs riding the beat like Lady Godiva singing nonsense as vocal samples fly through the mix. "Mr. Weatherman" is a two-beat folk fest wherein Higgs forgives the local weatherman for not always delivering on his predictions. She sings with cracked detachment, like the weather guy is under her skirt or perhaps floating around her head. "Apples," "My Feet," and "Love Is" continue the headcase frivolity.

 

Rebekah Higgs
"Parables" (mp3)
from "Rebekah Higgs"
(Outside Music)

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Rebekah Higgs
"Mr. Weatherman" (mp3)
from "Rebekah Higgs"
(Outside Music)

More On This Album

 

Country rock loonies: Yea, country gals can't escape the asylum, either. Only they cover it with lame, grits and cornbread. Tiffany Randol's Kiss Me Kiss Me is slightly more down to earth: she prefers B3 organs and violins to fairy dust and happy rabbits. Joined by an odd ball cast including Mikki James (Thin Lizard Dawn), Fred Armisen (SNL), Greg McMullen (Chris Whitley), and Erin Hill (Kanye West), Randol warbles and vamps like Tammy Wynette hanging with Neko Case. We're talking one soulful country crank delivery with tunes that almost recall Tracey Nelson (kids, keep looking it up).

She's gorgeous, she's R&B, she's got huge feet, and Tiffany Randol is top of our pops.

Tiffany Randol
"Kiss Me Kiss Me" (mp3)
from "Kiss Me Kiss Me"
(Gotchu Free Records)

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Tiffany Randol
"Half A Second" (mp3)
from "Kiss Me Kiss Me"
(Gotchu Free Records)

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