Beautiful, unpretentious, and talented. Who is Mia Doi Todd and why haven’t I ever heard her music before? With a sexy voice that goes in and out of breathy and dead on sexy to somewhere up high in that folky Joni Mitchell range, which is still sexy, this is one talented woman. Did I mention that her voice is dead sexy? With a strumming guitar and a backup band consisting of members of Beachwood Sparks, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Future Pigeon, The Tyde, and Dead Meadow, she creates music that is both fragile and stark, philosophical yet understanding. Her voice stands tall and her band of musician friends stands behind her. Mia Doi Todd is a promising indie artist from L.A. whose not just talented, but gifted. She’s created a pretty mellow album that works just as good to stay lazy on a lazy Sunday as it is for a mid-week escape, this album is filled with solid songs.
Standout tracks include album opener, “The Way,” with dreamy guitars and Mia’s voice propelling through the song like an old Cadillac down a dusty highway in the middle of nowhere. “What if we do?” mixes a bit of country with a pinch of folk. Twangy guitars and a hazy shade of Joan Baez come out on this song that is both warm and shows her range as a singer. “The Last Night of Winter” comes with some orchestrated parts and horns sparsely used here and there, gently driving the song along. “Casa Nova,” a lone reggae track that’s placed in the middle of this down tempo album acts as either a wakeup call to the listener or to show diversity of style. Mix authentic reggae with a folksy voice and though it may sound odd for a sec, it works and she does it well. All of it. |