If Rachael Yamagata got together with Imogen Heap and Leslie Feist to do an album, there’s no doubt it would sound a lot like The Reverb Junkie.
A singer-songwriter from Ann Arbor, Michigan, her original tunes flit about under heavy piano hands and lean toward acid jazz at times, which feels ridiculously appropriate considering that she possesses a voice so velvety it’s meant for singing the blues. “Growing Away,” in particular, fills to the brim with the singer’s lament for literally growing apart from the person with whom she shares in a relationship. Though not necessarily a blues track, its melancholic nature crushes the heart.
While her own work is spectacular, The Reverb Junkie’s remix abilities are nothing to disregard. In like with Heap, a woman known for her own inventive sound recordings, The Reverb Junkie has bravely proffered, “Good To Wait It Out,” a track that samples the bassline from Heap’s song, “Wait It Out.” What results is an equally rich song that sounds familiar, but stands apart from Heap’s work with a different singer, a more dance-able beat, and somewhat darker mood altogether. Another beautiful mashing is the ever-sensual, “Part of the Plan,” which features samples from the Hans Zimmer/Rodrigo y Gabriela tune, “Angelica.”
Whether she is writing her own music or using the works of others as her foundation, The Reverb Junkie’s greatest strength is her vocal cords. Incredibly polished and very nearly blemish-free, everything about her voice is imbued with purples and blues–a decadent auditory experience comparable to imbibing the very best vintage port wine and yet remaining accessible to everyone, regardless of palate diversity.
The Reverb Junkie can be found online at Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Twitter, Facebook, and at her official site.
“Good To Wait It Out”
“Growing Away”
Sal Christ is a writer with headphones glued to her ears. When she’s not indulging her musical gluttony, she’s usually kickboxing while daydreaming about a place that’s not so cold.