Emerging on her debut disc with a voice from heaven and a crystalline creative vision, the artistry of Hope Waits sounds effortless.
Whether she's referencing Billie Holiday on “Yesterdays” or Bonnie Raitt on the sassy You Crossed The Line, Waits is stylistically perfect and every note is delivered with a confidence that belies the fact this is a first release by the Louisiana native.
Blessed with a mature, charismatic voice and impeccable taste in songs, Waits transcends genre. Tracks like The Ballad of Judith Anne or the dirty blues of Mother In Law Blues come across almost cocky, so impressive is her ability to move beyond cocktail jazz or generic blues workouts into something more.
She even has the confidence to cover the stately Bob Dylan song Ring Them Bells, and freshen it up without losing the original dignity that is the tune's hallmark.
Peter Malick, a veteran bluesman who has worked with Norah Jones, gives Hope Waits pristine production that never distracts from the singer's soulful delivery.
Review - The Toledo Blade
