Kama Linden Returns And Gets Countrified

Do you remember MySpace? It used to be “the” social media outlet several years ago and then Facebook moved into the forefront. I discovered quite a few very talented and interesting artists thanks to that site. Kama Linden was one of those artists that I ran across; a beautiful woman with a powerful, yet angelic voice and an infectious personality and attitude. The more I looked into the artist, the more intrigued I became with her. Her 2008 album Better Late Than Never helped to prove that she was no one trick pony; she is an artist of many layers.

Well, Kama is back and is solidifying her versatility in the world of music by going country on her new release Southern Comfort. Now, before you scratch your head and start to wonder why on the world did she go that route, step back for a moment and think about her previous releases. There were country and folky elements apparent throughout Better Late Than never as well as her 2006 album Uninhibited, so is this really that big of a stretch?

Southern Comfort combines all the elements that make Kama great at what she does: catchy songs and infectious melodies, plus her sassy attitude is all over the album. It’s not what one would consider old school country, but more modern country that has that pop feel to it. I think the opening track “Make Room For Mama” sets the tone for what can be expected on the album. This one is a toe tapper and it is sassy and I love that Kama’s personality seems to shine on this one. For the most part, the album is very upbeat and so infectious that you can’t help but to tap your toes.

There are several standout tracks on here including the title track, which may be somewhat autobiographical with lyrics such as “trade in my Yankee cap for a cowboy hat” and “I want to get back to my music roots”. The track “Jersey Girl” is another track that may be somewhat autobiographical in its content as well. Kama wrote all of the songs on the album, so that fact wouldn’t surprise me at all. Her vocal delivery on these songs, as well as the entire album, is sweet to the ear and so comforting. It’s hard not to fall in love with a voice like that.

Now, I do have to admit that I really like when Kama applies the brakes and slows the tempo down to do a slower, mellow type of song. She definitely delivers this time around with “That Way” as well as “Do What You Gotta Do”. I love the up tempo toe tappers, but there is just something really special about her songs when she changes up like that; her voice is smooth like butter.

Overall, I think this is probably the most solid album that she has delivered to date. Kama seems focused and determined this time around more than ever. She assembled a top notch group of musicians to help record this album and the deliver in a major way. It does have that country twang to it and the fiddle and steel guitar are great instruments to help provide such a flavor. The album definitely packs more substance to it than a good part of what’s on Top 40 radio right now. Do yourself a favor, you need to give this Kama Linden a listen and Southern Comfort would be a great introduction to the world of this super talented artist.

http://soundcloud.com/kama-linden

https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/southern-comfort/id600141227

http://www.kamalindenmusic.com/

Vicki Blankenship: Dancing With The Blueflame

I like to think that life is sometimes like the toy surprise in a big box of Cracker Jacks. It’s always a surprise as to what you are going to get, some are good and some happen to be bad. You just never know what to expect.

My latest box of musical Cracker Jacks contained a surprise in the bottom by the name of Vicki Blankenship. I met Vicki for the first time at The Binding Time Café in Martinsville, VA during a performance by Indiegrrl artist Broda. I wasn’t familiar with Vicki, but I was told that she was a musician who performed at the Café from time to time. I got to her perform a short time later at an Indiegrrl festival in Spencer, VA that she put together. For those who do not know, Vicki took over the reigns of Indiegrrl from creator Holly O’Reilly in October of 2005.

Vicki invited me to The Binding Time Café on August 14 for the release party of her newest CD entitled “Blue Flame Trance”. She did perform a few of the songs solo that night and gave us a small taste of what was included on the CD. She had a strong turnout to support her that night.

I took home Vicki’s CD and it did lay around for a few days before I got the chance to pop it open and give it a good listen. Vicki is a very talented musician, without a doubt. You immediately get that when you see her perform live. The part that I didn’t realize was how good of a lyricist that she is.

The title track to her CD is an ode to that good old tradition through these parts of Virginia known as bootleg. One test of the equality of bootleg occurs when it is lit. Now, the really good stuff burns a blue flame. Henceforth, the title of the song. It’s a great toe tapper of a song that really gets cranked into overdrive as Vicki screams out “Yeehaw” midway through.

If you are a native of this area and if the song “Southwest Virginia” doesn’t do something for you, then you need to pack your bags and move. There are so many references to landmarks such as Mabry Mill, the Blue Ridge Mountains and even Martinsville is mentioned.

The biggest surprise for me is how emotionally charged a number of these songs are. My two standout cuts would be “Moonbeam” and “Coming My Way”, both equally as moving as the other. Vicki manages to put more emotion and feeling into these two songs than most artists put into an entire CD. “Moonbeam” is a reflective song about looking back on a love and the regrets that you may have. Now, not every track is all about happy love. “Love Went Six Feet Under” is a great song about love just doesn’t work out.

Another outstanding and emotional track would be “I’ve Waited For You” which has touring buddy Sonya Heller on background vocals. It tells an emotional journey of love coming and going, but never giving up on that love without putting up a fight to keep it.

Vicki has a bunch of extremely talented musicians backing her on her CD. She also played acoustic and electric guitar on all songs, wrote all the tracks and produced the CD. This woman can do it all!!

I think it’s very hard to pigeonhole Vicki’s music to just one label. She mixes country, folk, bluegrass and other elements into a blend that is like musical sugar to your ears. You can purchase her CDs at www.spottedkivaproductions.com . You can also learn more about her at www.myspace.com/vickiblankenship.

Are you in the mood for some toe tapping music that actually tells a good story? Unlike a great deal of today’s standards, these songs actually tell the listener a story. I guarantee you that if you take the time to check out Vicki, then you too will find out that the prize in the bottom of these Cracker Jacks is one of life’s greatest surprises.

Crazy About Christen Sawyer

Christen Sawyer is not your typical college student. Well, when you look at her, she may blend in with the average college classroom. Blond, very attractive with an innocent smile, but she leads a double life. No, she's not a secret agent and even if she was, I couldn't tell you that. She is a very talented country singer/songwriter from Sugarland, Texas.

Christen attends Texas A&M where she is double majoring with her major in Economics and her minor in Business Administration. If that wasn't impressive enough, her single "Crazy" is currently in the Top 20 on the Texas Music Charts. Oh yeah, she's also a self-professed dork. More about that later!

I spoke with Christen recently about her budding career. "So far, it's been amazing. I actually may take a semester off from school because of how 'Crazy' has taken off at country radio, plus my classes are getting harder too. I feel really lucky for the response to the single, even though I was really embarrassed the first time I heard myself on the radio. I just couldn't believe it, I'm such a dork," said Christen.

I asked if she ever considered trying out for American Idol because she really seems to fit the format of what they are looking for. "I have had so many people tell me on my YouTube account that I need to audition for Idol and that I would be great on there. Actually, I thought about it but I was in school every time the auditions were near here. I believe that everything happens for a reason. Oh, I'm also terrified of Simon!"

Christen has a 3 song demo out that really showcases this young woman's vocals and songwriting talents. One listen to "Crazy" and you can imagine Sara Evans doing her own version of this great song. "Better Off Broken" sounds like something right up Martina McBride's alley. "I'm Already Gone" is also a great example of her storytelling ability. Her vocals have alot of emotion behind them and she knows how to convey an image to the listener of what she is saying.

"I have been singing forever. When I was little, I did ballet and gymnastics and it lasted about a month. Then, I started singing and it stuck. It just didn't feel like work to me. The more I sang, the more I began to believe in myself and now, here I am. I have met so many great artists along this journey. I went to a music seminar and met Jack Ingram, which was amazing," said Christen.

Our talk concluded with asking her what cd she would want to be trapped on a desert island with? "Wow! That's a really tough question. I have never been asked that one before. I guess I would have to say my Benji Davis Project CD. They have so many different styles on it and I don't think I would grow bored of it."

Christen is writing material for her full length CD which she hopes to have out by the end of the year. She is busy traveling all over Texas doing radio shows and performing acoustically on the air live. Fans of Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood should check her out at www.myspace.com/christensawyer or at www.christensawyer.com. This young lady has her plate full with all of her endeavors, but I don't see her that plate becoming too clean anytime soon.