Trixie Whitley: Fourth Corner

Trixie Whitely
Fourth Corner
(Strong Blood)
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Few singers get plucked from obscurity by the likes of Daniel Lanois and Brian Blade based on a demo and are asked to join their band as frontwoman/singer. But that happened to the late guitarist Chris Whitely’s daughter Trixie, and what followed was a short but impressive stint in Black Dub, one of 2010’s under the radar highlights. She returns with boosted confidence on her audacious full length debut. Whitely’s husky, soulful voice and ability to shift from widescreen cabaret epics like the stunning string enhanced “Breathe You In My Dreams” to the most hushed intimate moments on the closing “Oh Joy” makes her seem like a seasoned professional. Occasional spoken word poetry breaks in the middle of a few songs, provide additional artistic edge. As sole songwriter, singer and co-producer, Whitely is astonishingly mature for her first album, but assistance from keyboardist Thomas Bartlett whose piano is featured on many of the soaring ballads that dominate the set brings depth and intensity. Perhaps not what the rhythmic Black Dub approach would have suggested, but one listen to her tough vocals over reverbed guitar that echoes her dad’s atmospheric work in “Hotel No Name” shows that Trixie Whitely is an early contender for best new artist of 2013. Only the somewhat muffled audio prevents this from being an unqualified success.