Liz has the voice of a fallen angel, with the effortlessness and transcendence of an angel but with some grit in it from a life lived among us. It’s an emotional voice, I’m not sure whether from pain or pleasure. Probably both. She characterizes it as “soulful, southern and dynamic,” and lists a Mount Olympus of great vocalists as inspiration: Mahalia Jackson, Julie London, Bobbie Gentry, Patsy Cline and Amy Winehouse.
She released her second album, Baby Damn, earlier this year on the indie Blue Élan label. It’s a great record, reminiscent of that glorious wave of indie female singer-songwriters of the late ’80s and early ’90s, like Suzanne Vega and Hope Sandoval. She writes all her songs. Her first album, Painted Image, was released on Fat Possum — the indie’s indie label — in 2019. Check out the incredibly soulful, funky, almost gospel “Blood of the Lamb” from that one.
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A Southerner by upraising, Liz has been a wandering soul, living and working with musicians in Atlanta, Chicago, Memphis and now Los Angeles, where Baby Damn was recorded, produced by A-lister Joe Chiccarelli. “Having southern roots really echoed this idea for me that everyone is transient and carrying their own stories of love and pain to where they migrate. It allowed me to identify with where I was raised but not let that be my sole identity. It taught me to appreciate other cultures, their unique music heritage.”
Fittingly, her favorite song from the new album, “Room to Ride”, is about “a feeling of never truly being home, but knowing you will be there one day. It’s about leaving someone you love, but knowing they’re where you really belong.”
Surprisingly, given what a talent she is, she manages herself. Why, I ask? “I’ve had a bad run with 2 previous managers unfortunately. Would love to find a great one!”
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