I recently found three gems by Ingrid Michaelson/Sara Bareilles, Meiko, and Brandi Carlile on Hotel Café’s October release Winter Songs.

Epic Records and The Hotel Café partnered up to release The Hotel Café Presents Winter Songs, a compilation of original recordings and classic holiday tracks sung by a lineup of female singer-songwriters, many who have been associated with The Hotel Café including Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Brandi Carlile and KT Tunstall. I’m drawn to the originals as the bulk of the other tracks end up sounding corny and cliched with vocals that often miss the mark, namely those by Katy Perry and Alice Smith. I wish they had come up with a better song for Fiona Apple than “Frosty the Snowman”. You don’t need to listen to know what I mean.

The Hotel Café has blossomed over the years into one of the premier singer/songwriter venues in the country and is regarded as “the place that breaks artists.” Musicians view The Hotel Café as a second home and many come to the venue nightly to support one another and to accompany each other on stage. I have found Hotel Cafe’s taste to be quite impeccable. For those not in L.A., watch for the Hotel Café Tours which have brought Rachael Yammagata, Ingrid Michaelson, Meiko, Thao Nguyen, and Katie Herzig to stages nationwide. They make for memorable evenings with each vocalist performing 2-3 songs backed by a house band in the round.

mp3: Ingrid Michaelson & Sara Bareilles- Winter Song

“Winter Song”, crafted by Michaelson and Bareilles, features gorgeous vocal harmonies between the two songbirds along with Katie Herzig, Lenka, Anya Marina, Meiko, Jim Bianco, Cary Brothers, Buddy, Holly Conlan, Marie Digby, Jesca Hoop, Laura Jansen, Tim Jones, Greg Laswell, Jonah Matranga, Joshua Radin, and Butch Walker. It’s sweet and mournful, powerful yet vulnerable, with rich string embellishments and an appropriate grandiose ending.

mp3: Meiko – Maybe Next Year (X-Mas Song)

Meiko’s “Maybe Next Year” is sassy and just what you’d expect from this bad girl who often seems to toy with the boys. The song features opportunely placed horns and keys which fill out the song behind Meiko silky voice with its youth-fllled, succulent charm. Love the climatic ending.

mp3: Brandi Carlile – The Heartache Can Wait

Within “The Heartache Can Wait”, Carlile is earnest and intimate, embodying the mellow elegance that comes naturally to her. It’s sad albeit beautiful when you stare through the tears.

Ingrid Michaelson: MySpace | Website
Sara Bareilles: MySpace | Website
Meiko: MySpace
Brandi Carlile: MySpace | Website

Download through Amazon: The Hotel Café presents… Winter Songs

This entry was posted on Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 4:57 pm and is filed under Featured Bands. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.